Wen Yi had just finished a meeting. The new leader was under pressure, and with the anti-corruption campaign in full swing, no news was allowed to slip out.

The higher-ups only cared about results, leaving the people below to do all the hard work. Wen Yi was being pressured from above, so she had to push those below her. They had to self-check, report everything meticulously, even writing down small things like brief chats with doctors from a few years ago.

After a week of hard work, she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

She had seen the messages and missed calls from Qin Nanshan but hadn’t figured out what to say yet. She didn’t dare to answer or respond.

Her mother had reacted more strongly than Wen Yi had anticipated. She forgot to take her new house keys and couldn’t get back in. It wasn’t until after 8 p.m. that someone came home, but Madam Wen completely ignored her.

Wen Yi was worried and scared. Her decision was shaky at best.

After a week of agonizing, she could no longer use work as an excuse. It was time to face the reality and make a decision.

Wen Yi picked up the ringing phone and left the office, walking to the large terrace at the end of the floor.

As soon as she answered, the voice on the other end said, “My mom wants to talk to you. Are you available?”

Before Wen Yi could respond, the phone was handed over to a gentle female voice. Xuan Ying warmly greeted her, “Is this Yiyi? I’m Nanshan’s mother. How are you?”

Wen Yi froze for a few seconds before reacting. “Hello, Auntie.”

Xuan Ying asked if she had any plans for tomorrow. After Wen Yi said she didn’t, Xuan Ying invited her over for dinner. Wen Yi usually couldn’t refuse elders, and before she could make up her mind, Xuan Ying had effortlessly wrapped the conversation around and set the meeting for the weekend.

Wen Yi was dazed, not quite understanding how the time and place to meet the parents had been decided so quickly.

The phone was handed back to its original owner. After a few steps, Qin Nanshan’s voice became more distant, as if he had moved away. “Shall I pick you up this weekend?”

“No need.” Wen Yi snapped out of it and smiled for the first time in days. “Qin Nanshan, were you adopted?”

Qin Nanshan frowned. “No.”

“I just don’t think you’re much like your mother.”

Qin Nanshan understood what she meant. “Everyone says that. My sister is more like my parents.”

Wen Yi’s gaze drifted as she looked at the traffic passing on the elevated road outside the terrace. She didn’t feel like continuing the conversation she had started.

Lately, she had been zoning out more and more, often getting lost in thought for ten minutes, sometimes even half an hour.

The internet said that pregnant women often feel tired and mentally disconnected, that spacing out wasn’t some illness. But she was scared. People say pregnancy makes you scatterbrained, and she was already showing signs at just over a month. Would she end up a fool after giving birth?

The most terrifying part was that when she stopped talking, the man on the other end didn’t prompt her to continue. He just accompanied her in silence. Realizing this, she suddenly pictured them as an old couple, sitting on a small balcony bench, dazed and silent.

How frightening! Wen Yi quickly snapped back to reality. “Sorry, I’ve been busy and not feeling well these past few days, so I haven’t been in touch.”

Qin Nanshan paused before responding, “That’s okay. Has the morning sickness been bad?”

“It’s been fine lately. As for the furniture, you can decide. I don’t have any opinions.”

“Alright.” After another pause, Qin Nanshan asked, “Are you planning on having a prenatal checkup soon?”

Wen Yi looked out the window again and thought back to when she first became a pharmaceutical sales rep. It was a field she was unfamiliar with, a job she didn’t love, and one that went against her mother’s wishes. But deep down, she had vowed to make a name for herself. Six years later, she had worked her way up to middle management.

Her answer came from experience—no one has a perfectly smooth path in life. Maybe she had never been destined for it from the start.

Wen Yi answered him, “Tomorrow.”

“I’ll go with you.”

After thinking for a moment, Wen Yi didn’t refuse. Why go to a prenatal checkup alone when the father could accompany her?

After hanging up, she stood on the terrace for a long time until she heard movement behind her. Wen Yi turned around and saw her new boss, Tian Jia, excitedly introducing her to her ex-boyfriend from four years ago—Wei Yuan.

Back when Wen Yi was new to the field, Wei Yuan was a few years older, charming, and full of ambition. With his skillful ways, it wasn’t hard for a young woman like her to fall for him.

A year into their relationship, Wei Yuan’s impressive performance earned him recognition from the headquarters, and he was sent abroad for a position. Everyone knew this was a golden opportunity.

Wei Yuan told her he loved her and wanted a future with her, but he also encouraged her to go abroad with him. At the time, Wen Yi was just a junior sales rep, not even at the specialist level. If she had followed him, the best she could hope for was becoming an assistant, forever dependent on him. She kept her head clear and refused.

They naturally broke up, and Wen Yi heard that within two months of going abroad, Wei Yuan had already found a local girl and was living a comfortable life.

After four years, Wei Yuan had returned as her superior.

On the first day back at work, Tian Jia winked at Wen Yi, saying they had met again at the top.

Tian Jia dreamed of rekindling their old flame, imagining Wei Yuan pulling Wen Yi up the career ladder. Wen Yi, unwilling to reveal her pregnancy to anyone at work, let it slide without correction. She hadn’t secured her position as regional manager yet, and announcing her pregnancy would be like handing the role to someone else.

Now, Wei Yuan had come to find her alone, his eyes carrying a hint of intimacy. Wen Yi thought, could he really want to rekindle things?

There was no lingering connection between them, just a clean breakup. Even if she agreed, the little tenant inside her wouldn’t.

Wen Yi smiled politely. “Hello, Director Wei.”

Sure enough, the man started by showing concern. “You don’t look well. Are you too tired?”

Wen Yi replied, “Not at all, just regular work.”

“How about dinner this weekend?”

“I’m afraid I can’t. I’m having dinner at my boyfriend’s house.”

She saw the surprise on his face, but just when she thought she had made her exit, the man shamelessly pressed on. “Wen Yi, I know you’re upset, but there’s no need for such an excuse. We can still give each other a second chance.”

Innocently, Wen Yi dialed a number right in front of him, put it on speaker, and when the call connected, sweetly asked, “Honey~ What do your parents like? I’ll bring something this weekend.”