"Father," Jin Ye's voice came from the doorway.
Su Ding turned her head and saw Jin Ye had returned from outside at some point, still carrying things he'd bought.
A servant quickly took the items from him.
Jin Ye walked steadily to Su Ding and looked at his father. "If you have something to say to me, just say it. Why are you looking for Su Ding?"
"If you had listened to me, I wouldn't have had to resort to this," Jin's father said sternly.
"Father, let's talk in the study."
Jin Ye stated directly, "Su Ding is pregnant. Are you sure you want to affect the development of your future grandson?"
Upon hearing this, Jin's father's expression changed. He pointed at Su Ding and asked, "She... is pregnant?"
Jin Ye nodded.
Su Ding was then scrutinized by Jin's father with a strange look that made her feel quite uncomfortable before he finally left.
Strange, was her pregnancy that peculiar?
Her son wasn't suffering from any issues in that department; pregnancy was quite normal.
After Jin Ye and his father entered the study, Su Ding also got up and went for a walk in the garden. The doctor had advised her to move around more.
Just then, her phone rang. It was Shao Lin calling.
"Su Ding, I heard you're pregnant?"
Su Ding's expression changed, and she said coldly, "Does it concern you?"
Shao Lin laughed rather arrogantly from the other end. "Of course, it concerns me. You're my son's stepmother. I'm worried that if you have your own child, you'll bully Xiao Xi."
"Stop trying to stir up trouble! If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up." Su Ding didn't want to waste any more words with her.
"Wait, I have some news I want to tell you," Shao Lin said, speeding up her speech. "Your daughter's biological father wants to meet you."
"What?" Su Ding's heart sank.
"Don't pretend. You slept with President Wang for money back then, which resulted in that little bastard Su Xiaorui. Surely you haven't forgotten that." Shao Lin mocked.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Su Ding didn't want to bring up past events at all.
"Heh, hahaha. If you want to play dumb, fine. Then don't blame me for being impolite. I wonder if Mr. Jin will still treat you well when he knows you sold yourself for money back then. Also, will Xiao Rui, this child, suffer a blow to her young mind when she learns she has a biological father?"
Shao Lin's words struck at the core of Su Ding's heart. "Don't forget, President Wang is Su Xiaorui's biological father. Legally speaking, you shouldn't prevent them from meeting!"
Su Ding fell silent, rapidly thinking about what to do.
Shao Lin continued, "I've said what I had to say. Contact me if you've come to your senses. Oh, and Jin Xiao Xi called me 'Mom' today, hahaha. I'll see how a stepmother compares to a biological mother!"
With that, she hung up the phone.
Su Ding's expression was exceptionally grave. She hadn't expected Shao Lin to find President Wang from back then at this time, and he even wanted to meet her. If he wanted compensation, that would be one thing, but what if he wanted to fight for Xiaorui's custody?
Selfishly, she also didn't want Jin Ye to know about her past indiscretions.
Even though she had been forced into it, committing that act was still a shame she found difficult to face or forget in her life.
If Jin Ye found out, even if he didn't blame her, she wouldn't be able to face him.
For the rest of the afternoon, Su Ding was preoccupied with this matter. Jin Ye and his father had finished their talk, and Jin's father's expression was less grim, though anger still lingered on his face.
"Su Ding, take good care of yourself. I'm leaving now."
As Jin's father left, he specifically added this instruction before departing.
Su Ding felt a touch of disbelief. She looked at Jin Ye with surprise and admiration. Jin Ye smiled at her.
In the evening, Jin Ye stayed home to have dinner with his wife and daughter. He noticed Su Ding seemed troubled, appearing lost in thought.
After dinner, the couple went for a stroll in the garden. Jin Ye asked, "What's wrong? You look so glum."
Su Ding shook her head, still unsure how to bring it up.
Jin Ye gently stroked her hair. "Don't overthink it. Just focus on resting for the baby. Leave any problems to me to handle."
Su Ding nodded. "Let's go back, I'm a bit tired."
Back in their room, Su Xiaorui knocked on the door and came in. "Mom, I want to sleep with you."
Su Ding, already troubled by her daughter's situation, felt her heart grow heavier upon seeing her cute little face.
She truly didn't want to admit that Xiaorui's biological father was a man she didn't even know.
But the root of it all was her; she was the one who chose to sell her body. She had no choice. Having Xiaorui was also an accident. But after relying on each other for so long, how could she bear to be separated from her?
"Mommy..." Su Xiaorui scurried over and climbed onto the bed.
"Yes, okay, you can sleep with Mommy tonight," Su Ding finally regained her composure, gently stroking her daughter's hair.
Su Xiaorui then looked at Jin Ye, who had entered from the doorway. "Daddy, Mommy said I can sleep with you tonight, is that okay?"
Jin Ye chuckled. "It's fine." He then said to Su Ding, "I'll go to the study to look at some files. Call me if you need anything."
After Jin Ye left, he closed the door, leaving only Su Xiaorui and Su Ding in the room.
Su Ding held her daughter's soft little body, lost in thought again. Should she tell Jin Ye about her past indiscretions, or should she choose to conceal them?
Why had Shao Lin suddenly contacted her about the man from that year? What did she want?
Was it blackmail?
Just then, her phone vibrated. Su Ding reflexively grabbed her phone to check. It turned out to be Xue Zhiqiao sharing an article about pregnancy diets.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "Thanks."
Xue Zhiqiao immediately replied, "I just saw your best friend being harassed by a man. I helped her out and am taking her home now."
Su Ding immediately guessed it was Xin Jiaer: "Is it Jiaer? How is she?"
Xue Zhiqiao: "Her phone is broken, and she's asleep beside me."
Su Ding: "That's good. Thank you for your trouble."
Xue Zhiqiao: "Are we still being polite? Your husband made quite a scene that night. Everyone in Jiangcheng, no, the entire country, knows you're Jin Ye's wife now. What are you worried about?"
Su Ding: "Hahaha jpg."
Su Ding: "When Jiaer wakes up, ask her to call me back."
Xue Zhiqiao: "Understood!"
...
After putting down his phone, Xue Zhiqiao sighed softly.
He turned to look at Xin Jiaer, who was sleeping beside him with a flushed face and tear-streaked cheeks, and felt a wave of emotion. Men and women in this world were all entangled by love.
"Scumbag! Get lost!" Xin Jiaer muttered in her sleep, waving her arms a few times.
"Still not settled even in your sleep," Xue Zhiqiao quickly dodged, grabbed her wrist, and put it down. He continued to stare blankly, bored.
Although he appeared quite flirtatious, it was all an illusion!
Every day, apart from work, he stayed at home watching television, incredibly bored. For years, he hadn't even had a girlfriend.
How pathetic.
As he was lamenting his own miserable fate, his shoulder suddenly felt heavy, and Xin Jiaer's head bumped into him.
"Ow... Wuwu..." Xin Jiaer covered her forehead and opened her eyes. Her tears, which had already started flowing, now burst forth again. With a couple of whimpers, she burst into loud sobs. "Who are you? You've kidnapped me... Wuwu... I'm going to have my dad call the police to arrest you..."
"Is your dad Li Gang?" Xue Zhiqiao sneered.
"What?" Xin Jiaer sobbed, her crying gradually subsiding. She slowly noticed the handsome man before her and gradually forgot to cry. "Handsome guy, who are you?"