In the corridor of the VIP floor of the private hospital, Gu Chengyu almost sprinted over.
When he saw the slender figure at the end of the hallway, he skidded to a halt.
Su Qianqian was sitting alone on a bench in the corridor, holding a medical report in her hand, wearing a mask, her eyes downcast and silent, looking fragile.
Brother Wang stood beside her, head bowed, sighing heavily with a helpless expression.
This scene shattered all of Gu Chengyu's wishful thinking.
Did she still not want this child?
Did she come here for a check-up, preparing to terminate the pregnancy?
Was that why she hung up on him, why she looked so lost, and why Brother Wang wore that expression?
The child he had longed for, the future he had fantasized about countless times—was it really going to end like this?
Gu Chengyu's heart was bleeding, the pain so intense he almost doubled over.
If it were the old Gu Chengyu—domineering, tyrannical, and self-centered—he would have rushed forward without a second thought to stop her, perhaps even forcibly taking her home and confining her until the child was safely born.
But...
He had learned too much these past days.
The Gu Chengyu of now thought first not of his own expectations and possessiveness, but of her feelings.
If she truly didn't want it, if this child brought her more pain and pressure than joy, then no matter how much it hurt him, he couldn't force her.
The one he loved most would always only be her.
He took several deep breaths, forcing down the sting in his eyes, trying to make his expression appear calm before he finally walked over with heavy steps.
His footsteps alerted the dejected Brother Wang.
Seeing him, Brother Wang opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by a look from Gu Chengyu.
Gu Chengyu walked up to Su Qianqian and slowly knelt down on one knee, a posture that made him look up at her, a silent act of submission.
His gaze fell on her hand clutching the report, and his heart ached again.
Only then did Su Qianqian notice him. Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked at him.
Her watery almond-shaped eyes held confusion, helplessness, and the glimmer of tears.
Gu Chengyu felt his heart breaking just looking at her.
He reached out his large hand to hold her small one, speaking with difficulty, "The check-up... is it done?"
Su Qianqian looked at him, gave a slight nod, and said nothing.
Gu Chengyu's heart sank to the depths.
But he still spoke gently, "It's okay, Qianqian, it's alright."
"If you're not ready, if you don't want it..."
"Then we won't keep it."
As he said these words, it felt like a piece of his heart had been gouged out, raw and bleeding.
But he forced himself to continue, "Your health and your feelings are the most important."
"Once you've recovered, we'll have plenty of chances in the future, right?"
"I'll wait for you. Whenever you're ready, we can try again, okay?"
Not a single harsh word, not a single accusation—only care that put her first.
Su Qianqian stared at him blankly, taking in his red-rimmed eyes, his tightly pressed lips, his pained and fearful gaze, listening to his words that were completely unexpected.
She suddenly realized, he seemed to have... misunderstood something?
Seeing her remain silent, just looking at him, Gu Chengyu thought she was silently agreeing. His heart sank completely.
But he still forced himself on, even trying to pull a smile uglier than a cry for her. He reached out to pull her into his arms for comfort.
"It's alright. Let's go home first. I'll find the best doctor and accompany you to... to take care of it..."
Su Qianqian leaned softly into his embrace, one small hand covering his mouth.
Then, with her other hand—the one not held by him—she gently brought the medical report up before his eyes.
Gu Chengyu froze, looking at her in confusion.
Su Qianqian lowered her eyelashes, her voice muffled through the mask:
"Aren't you going to look?"
"The doctor said he's very healthy."
"It's just that my body is a bit weak. I need to take good care of myself so he can grow up safely."
Gu Chengyu stiffened completely. He looked down at the report, then at Su Qianqian's soft face, his words stumbling:
"Qianqian, you mean... you're willing to keep him..."
Seeing his foolish look, Su Qianqian couldn't help but smile under her mask, though she quickly suppressed it, speaking with a touch of petulance:
"What else? What did you think I came here for?"
"Don't let your imagination run wild..."
Before she could finish, Gu Chengyu suddenly held her tight, so tightly, yet carefully avoiding her abdomen.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, not letting her see his reddened eyes.
"Thank you... thank you, Qianqian..." his voice choked.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault. I misunderstood you."
Su Qianqian reached out her small hands and gently hugged him back, muttering softly, "Silly."
Brother Wang watched the embracing couple, sighed, and quietly stepped farther away.
Taking a temporary break from the industry was fine.
Judging by the looks of it, Young Master Gu was probably going to spoil Qianqian rotten even more.
Not a bad deal at all.
