Chapter 65:

Yu Qiran approached step by step, his breath reeking of alcohol, like a hand tightening around Tan Mo’s throat, making her breath shallow.

Tan Mo felt a sinking feeling in her heart, unsure of his intentions. She quickly took a step back, glaring coldly at him:

“Mr. Yu, I’m warning you to stay away from me, or I’ll call for help. Tonight is a gathering of friends; how many people do you want to attract as a celebrity?”

Yu Qiran crushed out a cigarette butt and sneered:

“A celebrity? You’ve ruined my career so badly that I’m about to lose all my opportunities. What celebrity status do I have left?”

“I never imagined that my career would be ruined by a woman.”

Filled with hatred, Yu Qiran stared at her: “Wasn’t it just a little argument on that variety show? Why do you have to retaliate like this?”

Hearing this, Tan Mo found it laughable:

“Mr. Yu, during that variety show, you tried to buy online posts claiming I deliberately clung to you to gain attention. My private messages were flooded with insults and attacks from your fans. Later, my husband handled it, preventing the situation from escalating. You used your status and fame to hurt others, and now you’re pretending to be the innocent victim? Are you blaming me for this?”

Yu Qiran was already completely drunk, “Isn’t negative attention still attention? Didn’t this also increase your popularity!”

“So, do you expect me to be grateful?”

Tan Mo lifted her gaze to look at him, her eyes cold: “Mr. Yu, if you try to stab someone with a knife, don’t expect sympathy even if you fail.”

Tan Mo didn’t want to say more to him: “I don’t want any more entanglements with you. Please don’t bother me again.”

Tan Mo walked past him, wanting to move forward, but her arm was suddenly tightly gripped.

Yu Qiran pulled her back: “You dare to walk away? Who said you could leave?!”

Yu Qiran shoved her against the wall, his eyes bloodshot: “You’re just a small blogger who married a good husband. You’re nothing in front of me. Do you really think you’re someone important!”

Tan Mo’s back hurt from the collision. She frowned and pushed him away: “Let me go! Yu Qiran, what exactly do you want?!”

Tan Mo tried to leave, but he grabbed her again. She never expected him to be so crazy, her heart tightening with panic. She cried for help and struggled violently.

“Let me go… help… someone…”

During the struggle, Yu Qiran couldn’t resist her strength and finally let go. Tan Mo lost her balance and staggered backward—

Then she fell to the ground.

Suddenly, Tan Mo felt dizzy, as if thrown into the deep sea. Pain surged through her body like seawater rushing in, pressing into every organ.

Buzzing—

Tinnitus filled her mind, leaving it blank.

A few seconds later, a sharp pain hit her abdomen.

Tan Mo lay on the ground, curling up slowly, clutching her stomach, her brows tightly furrowed, sweat dripping from her forehead.

“It hurts…”

Her red lips moved, but she couldn’t form complete words. Instinctively, she thought of Xie Qichen’s face, whimpering softly in pain.

Xie Qichen…

She felt utterly alone, as if thrown into the wilderness.

Tears welled up in her eyes. With blurred, tear-filled eyes, she saw Yu Qiran standing in her field of vision.

Then, her vision gradually blurred.

Until it turned completely black.

Tan Mo fainted.

Yu Qiran looked at Tan Mo lying on the ground, shocked and dazed.

Meanwhile, Gao Shi had been waiting outside, puzzled why Tan Mo hadn’t come out for so long. Just as he was about to go look for her, he heard Tan Mo’s cries.

Gao Shi was startled by the sound and rushed over, only to see Tan Mo lying on the ground unconscious.

“Madam! Madam!”

Gao Shi turned angrily toward Yu Qiran: “Who are you? What did you do! Did you push her?!”

Yu Qiran was stunned: “I just let go, she just fell, how could this happen…”

“Do you even know she’s pregnant!”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qiran felt as if a hammer had struck his mind.

He instantly sobered up.

Gao Shi called an ambulance, and soon more people arrived. Yu Qiran looked at Tan Mo lying on the ground, his expression dazed…

–

A full moon hung on the horizon, slowly obscured by thick clouds.

Meanwhile, in Licheng.

In the villa’s living room of Jiayu Tianding, Xie Qichen sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, reading a book.

The man wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, his white shirt collar slightly open, black trousers hugging his long legs, exuding a cool, scholarly aura.

Tan Yuanzhou, who was brewing tea nearby, couldn’t help but tease him upon seeing his focused expression:

“Xie Qichen, I came today for tea, but I haven’t seen you put your book down once. The child won’t be born for several months; do you really need to be this serious?”

In the evening, Tan Yuanzhou had called Xie Qichen, originally planning to invite him and Tan Mo for dinner to check on Tan Mo’s recent condition during her pregnancy. Upon learning that Tan Mo had gone on a business trip, Tan Yuanzhou changed his plan to come over after dinner for tea and chat.

When he arrived at the villa, Tan Yuanzhou saw that the nursery was already under renovation and noticed that Xie Qichen had bought various parenting books and guides on prenatal care, which was absurdly thorough.

Upon hearing this, the man didn’t lift his eyes from the book: “Rather than drinking your tea, I’d rather read more books.”

“Hey, what do you mean by that? Is this how you treat your younger uncle? Disrespectful.”

“…”

Xie Qichen looked at him wordlessly, while Tan Yuanzhou raised his eyebrows: “How is it, now that you’ve taken my niece away, don’t you have to treat me as an elder properly?”

Xie Qichen lowered his eyes slightly and smirked: “You’re acting old before your time.”

Tan Yuanzhou couldn’t hold back his laughter. Seeing him continue reading, he marveled: “You’ve always been good at studying, and now you’re even a father with a scholar’s demeanor. I admire you.”

Xie Qichen flipped through the book, his tone calm: “Mo Mo has been having occasional insomnia lately. I want to see how I can help her sleep better at night.”

Upon hearing this, Tan Yuanzhou felt a surge of emotion.

Indeed, there were few people in the world who could love Tan Mo more than Xie Qichen.

Tan Yuanzhou suddenly thought of something: “Hey, Xie Qichen, since I’m now a generation older than you and Tan Mo, once your child is born, won’t he have to call me Granduncle?!”

Tan Yuanzhou immediately felt bad: “Damn, why does it sound like I’m so old! I’m only in my thirties, not married yet, and I’ve become a grandfather’s generation?!”

Xie Qichen’s eyes flickered with amusement: “Aren’t you the one who likes to act like a respected elder?”

His fingers lightly tapped the book, adding:

“And a single, old elder at that.”

Tan Yuanzhou: “…”

Damn it, a single, old elder!

“But once your and Mo Mo’s child is born, there’ll be plenty of fun to have. Although I hate to admit it, I think the child will inherit your good looks and be really cute.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen couldn’t help but imagine the child, his eyes softening into a pool of tenderness:

“Of course, mainly because Mo Mo is cute.”

Their child would have features resembling both him and Tan Mo, carrying their genetic traits, a unique little life connected to both of them, and a tangible form of their love.

Just thinking about it made him look forward to it.

Xie Qichen picked up his teacup, his nerves inexplicably stirred for a moment, but suddenly felt a sense of unease.

Tan Yuanzhou looked at him: “What’s wrong, what are you thinking about?”

Xie Qichen snapped out of it, suppressing his emotions, glancing at his watch: “Nothing.”

Tan Yuanzhou said: “Alright, Mo Mo should be back at the hotel soon. I won’t disturb your sweet video call later. I’ll head back now and come over for dinner once she returns.”

“Alright, no need to see me out.”

Tan Yuanzhou stood up smiling: “I didn’t expect you to see me out anyway.”

As Tan Yuanzhou walked away, Xie Qichen suddenly felt like calling Tan Mo, but the screen of his phone on the coffee table lit up just then.

Looking down, the caller ID showed—

Gao Shi.

Regarding Tan Mo’s condition, Gao Shi usually sent messages to Xie Qichen to avoid disturbing him and rarely called.

Seeing her call, Xie Qichen paused briefly before answering. However, the moment he picked up, a suppressed, trembling voice came through from the other end:

“Mr. Xie, I’m sorry… I didn’t take good care of the CEO’s wife. She’s been in an accident…”

In an instant, time froze.

The words reached the man’s ears.

Like a storm breaking through a dam, the teacup in Xie Qichen’s hand fell to the ground with a loud “Bang—”

His heart felt as if it had been filled with lead, plummeting downward, shattering along with the teacup.

Tan Yuanzhou, who had just reached the staircase, was startled by the sound, stopped in his tracks, and turned back in confusion toward Xie Qichen.

What the hell is going on?!

A few seconds later, the man on the sofa stood up and rushed toward the staircase like an arrow released from a bow.

Tan Yuanzhou, completely confused, blocked him with a bewildered expression: “What’s wrong? Who did you just talk to? Where are you going?”

Xie Qichen’s expression darkened to the extreme as he rasped out:

“I have to get to Xicheng immediately. Mo Mo has been sent to the hospital after an incident.”

Tan Yuanzhou was stunned.

Xie Qichen pushed past Tan Yuanzhou and quickly walked downstairs, while Tan Yuanzhou hurriedly followed: “I’m going with you!”

–

The moon was completely obscured by thick, gray clouds.

No light could be seen.

The night sky hung heavily and oppressively overhead, making it hard to breathe.

On the highway from Licheng to Xicheng, the driver pressed the accelerator. The Rolls-Royce continuously overtook vehicles, darting through the endless lanes of traffic.

At this moment, in the back seat of the car, Xie Qichen’s phone kept ringing.

The man made various calls, finally using his connections to contact the best maternity hospital in Xicheng.

After hanging up the last call, the man’s fingers gripped the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He stared straight ahead, his expression dark and terrifying, his thin lips pressed into a tight line.

Tan Yuanzhou looked at Xie Qichen, knowing that the other man was suppressing intense anger.

Just after getting into the car, Xie Qichen had spoken to Gao Shi again, who detailed the events that had just occurred and identified the culprit behind Tan Mo’s accident.

Upon hearing who it was, Xie Qichen immediately understood the reason behind the man’s trouble with Tan Mo.

Tan Yuanzhou, who doted on his niece, was equally furious upon learning the truth, barely containing his rage:

“Is he under control now, that bastard?”

Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen looked at his watch again, his eyes as cold as ice. A few seconds later, his thin lips uttered a few words: “He’s been taken to the hospital.”

Tan Yuanzhou rarely cursed: “What an idiot! He dared to push a pregnant woman? Is he insane?!”

Xie Qichen didn’t respond. Tan Yuanzhou calmed himself slightly, then softly tried to soothe the man: “Achen, don’t panic. Mo Mo and the baby will be fine…”

Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. He lowered his dark eyes and spoke, his voice hoarse as if filled with sand:

“I shouldn’t have let her go on a business trip alone at this time. It’s the most critical first trimester of her pregnancy. Her body is already fragile. I promised to protect her and the baby, but when she needed me most, I wasn’t there by her side…”

Tan Yuanzhou sighed: “But you couldn’t have predicted this. Don’t think too much now.”

Xie Qichen turned to look out the window at the speeding traffic, his ink-black eyes gradually tinged with red.

…

The car drove quickly, reaching Xicheng in less than an hour.

Finally, the Rolls-Royce stopped in front of the hospital. Xie Qichen immediately pushed open the car door and got out.

The private driver who had brought Tan Mo was already waiting at the entrance and quickly came forward:

“Mr. Xie, let me guide you upstairs.”

The man followed quickly into the hospital, with Tan Yuanzhou right behind.

Because the villa where they held the party was in the suburbs of Xicheng, far from the hospital, waiting for an ambulance would have taken too long. In the end, the private driver brought Tan Mo to the hospital half an hour earlier.

Taking the elevator to the floor, Xie Qichen quickly walked out and saw a crowd of people standing in the corridor.

Besides Gao Shi, there were also friends like Mimi who had met Tan Mo at the party. Upon hearing about the incident, they were worried and came along to accompany her.

No one had expected such an accident to happen. However, since Yu Qiran was a celebrity, most people feared causing trouble and didn’t dare to say anything.

In addition, there was the male star’s agent who hosted the event. Knowing Tan Mo’s background, he was also anxious that such an incident had occurred on their premises, fearing offending anyone. He had sent people to come and appease and coordinate the situation.

Xie Qichen walked over. Gao Shi saw him and immediately stepped forward:

“Mr. Xie—”

Everyone turned to look at him upon hearing the voice.

At first glance, they could all feel the man’s powerful aura, clearly indicating his extraordinary status.

The man’s eyebrows and eyes were icy cold: “What’s the current situation?”

Gao Shi, visibly shaken, already had red eyes: “Madam was taken in just now. She’s probably still undergoing treatment. We don’t know the exact condition.”

Xie Qichen’s heart clenched. At that moment, the operating room door opened, and a nurse pushed Tan Mo out on a stretcher. A doctor nearby asked:

“Who is the family member of the pregnant woman?”

Xie Qichen quickly stepped forward, his temples tightly clenched as he spoke:

“Doctor, I’m her husband. How is my wife?”

Others gathered around as the doctor looked at Xie Qichen: “Don’t worry, the pregnant woman is fine, and the baby in her stomach is also okay.”

“That’s great, everything is fine…”

At that moment, everyone let out a heavy sigh of relief, feeling a great weight lifted from their hearts, and they were excited and relieved.

Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen felt the stone in his heart finally fall. He looked at the little girl lying there, his frown still tight.

The doctor said: “However, although she is fine, the pregnant woman was severely frightened, which caused her to faint. Her body is now very weak and must be taken good care of to avoid any more accidents.”

“Alright, thank you, doctor.”

Finally, Tan Mo was pushed into a private, high-end ward.

Beside the hospital bed, Xie Qichen saw the little girl with her eyes closed, her face pale, still looking panicked and fearful as if in her dreams, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, tears still visible on her face.

At that moment, how frightened his little girl must have been…

Looking at Tan Mo, Xie Qichen’s eyes turned red, his anger reaching its peak. From deep in his throat, he coldly uttered:

“Where is that person.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Shi immediately understood and whispered:

“Yu Qiran didn’t dare to appear in public and is in the fire escape. We’ve also assigned people to watch him. His agent said they want our forgiveness and will cover all medical expenses.”

“Forgiveness?”

After causing Tan Mo to be in this state, what could possibly warrant forgiveness?

Xie Qichen’s gaze lingered on Tan Mo for a moment before he turned his eyes away, his expression as cold as ice. He turned and walked out of the ward.

Xie Qichen strode down the corridor and finally pushed open the door to the fire escape.

Inside, the stairs were guarded by people. Yu Qiran, wearing a black hoodie and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, was sitting on the stairs, his hands covering his head. Beside him stood people sent by Xie Qichen and his agent.

Upon hearing the sound, Yu Qiran looked up and saw Xie Qichen’s sharp gaze, his heart suddenly pounding.

Xie Qichen’s eyes burned with fury as he approached, then in one swift motion, delivered a heavy punch straight to Yu Qiran’s face.

Xie Qichen was usually gentle and composed by nature, always behaving like a courteous gentleman. Throughout his life, he rarely resorted to violence.

But protecting Tan Mo was his bottom line.

Yu Qiran didn’t even have time to react before the punch landed heavily on his face, knocking him to the ground in pain. Instinctively, he tried to fight back but was immediately grabbed, then hit with several more punches.

“Ahh…”

Yu Qiran was punched so hard that stars danced before his eyes. He cried out in pain but was powerless to retaliate.

He was pressed to the ground, the man’s eyes cold and grim:

“Yu Qiran, do you want to die?”

At this moment, he realized what he had done. Scared out of his wits, he begged for mercy without caring about his celebrity image:

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t know…”

Xie Qichen looked down at him, his breath heavy with anger: “Who gave you the guts to bother her? You dared to lay hands on her when she’s pregnant?!”

“I’m sorry, I was drunk then, I really didn’t mean to…”

Xie Qichen grabbed Yu Qiran’s collar, yanking him up, and slammed his head against the wall, his eyes blazing with fury:

“Drunk? Are you sober enough now?”