“That’s really tough,” Chen Mingyue sighed, then teased with a smile, “If you weren’t married, you could’ve pulled the beauty card—it’d definitely work.”

Wen Yi, trying to find some humor in the situation, managed a smile. “If only I hadn’t gotten married.”

Lele ran off to play, and Chen Mingyue finished cooking another dish. “Wen Yi, right now, you’re like I was back then—thinking that your career always comes first and that having a child won’t change that. But the reality is, once you have kids, balancing family and career becomes nearly impossible. One side has to give. Consider me a real-life warning. Are you ready?”

Wen Yi thought about it and said a bit uncertainly, “Qin Nanshan…my husband…his family’s well-off. His parents, along with my mom, could help take care of the baby. I think I can manage.”

Chen Mingyue looked at her as if she were a naive child, chuckling softly. “Wen Yi, don’t rely on anyone—especially not a man.”

After dinner, Chen Mingyue’s husband still hadn’t returned, and she was busy helping Lele take a bath. Wen Yi helped clear the dining table and tidy up the kitchen. The living room was strewn with toys, and laundry was piled up in the bathroom—visible signs of household chores everywhere.

When Chen Mingyue came out after putting Lele to bed, she spread her hands with a smile. “See? Just one night of my husband working late, and I’m exhausted.”

Leaving Chen Mingyue’s place, Wen Yi pulled her coat tighter and looked up at the sky, sighing softly.

…

At home, Wen Yi changed her shoes and hung her bag on the coat rack above the shoe cabinet. Qin Nanshan was meticulous—whenever she left her bag, keys, umbrella, or face wash lying around, he would silently put them back in their designated spots. To avoid “causing him trouble,” Wen Yi had learned to keep her things in order.

They were clearly two completely different types of people, yet somehow they managed to compromise and adapt to each other’s habits.

Standing at the entrance, she looked around the tidy, organized living room and thought about the contrast with the messy scene at Chen Mingyue’s house. She couldn’t help but wonder, once the baby arrived, how would Qin Nanshan handle it? The baby’s toys alone would be a challenge to keep tidy, let alone changing diapers and cleaning up. Would he be able to cope?

Then she imagined him, like Chen Mingyue’s husband, suddenly pulling extra hours at work, leaving her to deal with it all alone. With all the stress at work already weighing on her, just the thought of this scenario sent her pregnancy hormones spiraling. If he dared to avoid his responsibilities, she’d serve him divorce papers on the spot.

Qin Nanshan, hearing her come in, emerged from the study. “Did you eat dinner?”

Overwhelmed with irritation toward men in general, Wen Yi glared at him. “You’re not sleeping in the master bedroom tonight.”

“…???” 

Sensing her mood, Qin Nanshan wisely gave her space. After she had bathed and gone to the master bedroom, he waited half an hour, then tried the door handle and found it unlocked.

Entering, he noticed her glancing up at him briefly before returning her focus to her tablet.

Qin Nanshan asked about her first day back at work, to which she barely responded.

Over the last couple of months, he’d learned that when she was in a bad mood, she would go quiet. The loud arguments were never a real issue.

Qin Nanshan sat beside her on the bed, picked up a book from the bedside table, and read a few pages before hearing her say, “I want some water.”

She needed to take her medication in the evening, so he kept water at her bedside. He passed her the glass, waited for her to finish, and put it back. They then settled into their own activities in silence.

Qin Nanshan, however, found himself unable to concentrate on his book. He paused and turned slightly to look at her; her focus on the tablet was so intense she didn’t notice.

Wen Yi had always been striking, with a bold and radiant beauty. Her fair skin and bright, cat-like eyes gave her an air of liveliness and charm, as if she were a rare, glimmering pearl from the deep sea. At this moment, with her head bowed, she looked gentle and serene, her face touched by the soft moonlight outside the window, creating an almost translucent effect.

Her beauty was like fireworks in the night—stunning at first glance and unforgettable after another. When they’d met again that night, despite any excuses, he couldn’t deny that he’d been enchanted at first sight.

He thought back to high school, during the school anniversary performance, when she had danced a mesmerizing folk dance for their class. The spotlight followed her every move, illuminating her graceful, lively posture. From then on, boys would constantly loiter by her classroom door and windows, trying to catch a glimpse. Sitting beside her that semester, he’d even collected at least ten love letters on her behalf. If the school hadn’t been so strict, she’d probably have started dating back then.

He was curious now. What was her ex-boyfriend like? What type of man did she like?

And, if they hadn’t met again that night, where would they be now?

Lost in thought, his gaze lingered a bit too long, and she noticed, looking up. “Why are you staring at me?”

Qin Nanshan smiled softly. “What are you reading?”

Wen Yi put down her tablet, sounding a bit dispirited. “Nothing much. New drugs keep coming out. I don’t have a medical background, so I have to keep studying to keep up, or I’ll be replaced.”

The pharmaceutical sales field was competitive, open to anyone but hard to excel in. At the beginning, she’d relied on her looks, communication skills, and decent English to break into the field, but going further required much more than that. Every time Neuron released a new drug, there’d be a manual as thick as a textbook to study. It would take her a week of sleepless nights to get through it all and be able to present it fluently to doctors. Looking back, even she admired her own dedication.

Qin Nanshan glanced at the tablet. It was an article on a new HIV clinical trial, filled with technical jargon and clinical data analysis. He wasn’t a medical expert, but he’d read enough academic papers to know that this one was beyond him.

“Do you understand it?”

On any other day, Wen Yi would’ve been offended at the question, thinking he was underestimating her, but tonight, she was calm. “I’ve been at this for six years; of course, I understand. But even then, I’m still an outsider, easily replaceable.”

“Everyone has their area of expertise. For someone in your field, you’re doing impressively well.”

Wen Yi let out a small, helpless laugh, her spirits low. She got up to brush her teeth and wash her face.

The bathroom had a new water heater, with a stable temperature, and a trash bin had been placed under the sink. Everything was so convenient. As she brushed her teeth, Qin Nanshan came to the door and knocked. “I need to step out for a bit. I’ll be back soon. Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

With her mouth full of toothpaste foam, she mumbled, “Why are you going out at this hour?”

“Just something I need to take care of. My classmates are there.”

She wasn’t hungry. “Nothing for me, I’ve already brushed my teeth.” 

“There’s a lot of snack stalls around Zhongshan Road.”

Wen Yi was drawn by the mention of “Zhongshan Road”—the most famous street in town for late-night barbecue. Her stomach, unsatisfied from barely eating dinner, started growling with anticipation, and she couldn’t resist. “Just get something… Actually, I’ll text you in a bit.”

“Alright.”