Outside the outpatient building, they ran into Zhao Ling. Her eyes never left Qin Nanshan, and when he finally turned away, she cleared her throat, “Mr. Qin, can I have a word with Wen Yi?”

Once Qin Nanshan was out of earshot, Zhao Ling exclaimed, “It’s been a few years, and the class nerd has gotten even more handsome. Wen Yi, you’re amazing! How did you manage to snag someone like him?”

Wen Yi urged, “Hurry up. I’m in a rush.”

“What’s the hurry?” Zhao Ling teased, “You’re not here for an abortion, right?”

Wen Yi shot her a look of disdain.

Zhao Ling pressed on, “So, why didn’t you go through with it?”

The previously anxious woman seemed to relax, glancing up at the sky.

It was a nice day—partly cloudy, with occasional sunshine, and the air no longer felt humid. It seemed like a good omen.

After a long pause, Wen Yi smiled at Zhao Ling and said, “Would you get rid of yourself?”

Zhao Ling didn’t understand. She was about to ask again when Wen Yi stopped responding.

“Are you getting married soon?” Zhao Ling asked.

“We’ll see. Nothing’s set.”

“You should hurry. You only get one chance in life to wear a wedding dress. If your belly gets too big, it won’t look good.”

Wen Yi shot her a sideways glance, unbothered. “Who says you only get one chance in life?”

By the time Zhao Ling caught on, Wen Yi had already motioned for the man beside her to head into the outpatient building.

Despite wearing flats, Wen Yi still carried herself with the poise of a professional woman, while the man in his black coat exuded a refined, noble air. Though they didn’t seem like a perfect match, there was an aura around them that kept others at a distance.

Zhao Ling pouted. She didn’t believe for a second that Wen Yi would get married a second time.

There truly was no blood type match for Wen Yi at the blood bank, but the claim that “if you terminate this time, it’ll be hard to conceive next time” is a common phrase used in gynecology. Dr. Zhang, having handled countless surgeries, knows the chances of complications are extremely low. 

Still, doctors won’t take unnecessary risks. After Wen Yi talked to her, she contacted colleagues in Su City, who assured her everything would be fine, as she had told Wen Yi earlier: all she needed was to make an appointment in advance. 

Yet the next day, Wen Yi messaged back saying, “Never mind,” and now she’s here for a prenatal checkup. 

So Wen Yi never really planned on terminating the pregnancy. She’s just the kind of person who says one thing but means another. And divorce? No one would believe that, not even a ghost.

Zhao Ling slipped her hands into her pockets and clicked her tongue a few times. Looks like she’d have to shell out again—wedding gifts, baby gifts for the full-month celebration.

…

Last time they couldn’t detect the fetal heartbeat, so today they were mainly checking for it and the gestational sac, along with routine tests and record-keeping.

Wen Yi was seeing Dr. Zhang again. Dr. Zhang recognized her but said nothing extra as she glanced at the man beside Wen Yi and had her lie down on the bed. 

Dr. Zhang put on gloves and applied gel to the ultrasound probe, “Lift your shirt.”

Feeling uneasy with Qin Nanshan nearby, Wen Yi held her shirt, “Doctor, does he need to stay?”

Without hesitation, Dr. Zhang turned to Qin Nanshan and ordered, “Help her lift her shirt.”

Both Qin Nanshan and Wen Yi felt awkward. Despite their intimate history, here they were, hesitating over something as simple as looking at her belly. Qin Nanshan cleared his throat, “Doctor, do I need to be here?”

Dr. Zhang, clearly impatient, replied, “If you want to see your baby, stay.”

After a moment’s pause, Qin Nanshan stepped forward, but Wen Yi quickly interjected, “I’ll do it myself.”

She only needed to lift her shirt up to her chest, but with his eyes focused on her belly, she felt terribly self-conscious, almost like she was entirely exposed.

That night had been dimly lit with just a bedside lamp. Amid the chaos and urgency, she hadn’t noticed if he had looked at her. All her attention had been focused on the experience itself. 

Now, with her skin exposed to the cool air, inappropriate thoughts suddenly flashed through her mind. The memory of restrained groans, how he had tried to maintain his composure despite the building intensity, and the way his chest trembled when he finally let go flooded her thoughts. A man who had always controlled himself had fallen from his pedestal, and in that moment, Wen Yi had savored an unparalleled sense of pleasure, leaving her spine tingling.

Her ears turned slightly red as she looked away. The cold ultrasound gel spread smoothly over her pale stomach, cooling the heat rising inside her.

The rapid and rhythmic sound of the baby’s heartbeat came through the fetal monitor, like the gentle beating of a drum.

Wen Yi, unable to see the screen, anxiously asked, “Dr. Zhang, is that the baby’s heartbeat?”

“Yes, it’s a little fast.”

“What?”

“A normal fetal heart rate is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. Your baby’s heartbeat is around 180.”

Dr. Zhang, always serious, frowned, staying silent, making Wen Yi feel uneasy.

She touched her own chest, her heart also racing. Could it be…

She glanced nervously at the worried man beside her, then quickly looked away, taking a deep breath.

After a few moments, Dr. Zhang finally spoke, “There’s no major issue. The gestational sac, fetal pole, and heartbeat are all normal.”

Both of them sighed in relief.

Holding the report, they left without saying a word to each other. Wen Yi sat in the car, staring at the paper. The small embryo was much more visible this time, like a black grape.

She stared at it for a long time before asking absentmindedly, “Did you hear the baby’s heartbeat just now?”

“I did.”

“Isn’t it amazing?”

The baby inside her, with its own heartbeat and breath, was growing, little by little. Last time it was just a little bean, but now it had become a small grape.

Qin Nanshan’s lips curved slightly. “I recorded it. Do you want to hear it again?”

Wen Yi’s face lit up with surprise. “Really?”

He took out his phone and played the recording. Though it wasn’t as loud as it had been in the hospital, the steady “thump-thump-thump” was still clear, like a joyful rhythm in a song.

The fast pace of the heartbeat made Wen Yi smile even more. This baby, connected by blood and emotions, could already sense her feelings. This was their first secret.

The car grew quiet. The two young adults, not yet very familiar with each other, both instinctively held their breath, afraid to disturb the presence of the new life growing between them.

After listening a few more times, Wen Yi felt her eyes grow warm. “Send it to me.”

“Okay.” Qin Nanshan forwarded the recording and then, with a serious tone, said, “From now on, I’ll choose the music for your prenatal education. The music you listen to is too fast.”

Wen Yi didn’t argue over such trivial matters. She listened to the short clip a few more times and then sent it to Ms. Wen.