Chapter 69:

Tan Mo laughed as she hit him upon hearing his words, “Xie Qichen, you still say you’re not biased? You’re being so partial it’s unbelievable!”

A hint of amusement flickered in the man’s eyes, “Am I?”

“Of course! Why does the son have to work so hard while the daughter gets to be so happy? Some people are just too two-faced.”

Xie Qichen’s lips curved slightly as he subtly changed the topic, “Actually, whether it’s a boy or a girl, it’s different. If it’s a girl, you’d probably worry about her all the time, fearing she might encounter danger or be deceived by some bad boy when she grows up.”

“What about a son?”

“We’d worry about him too.”

“…Then we’d worry that he might casually bring some girl home.”

Thinking about something, Tan Mo chuckled, “That might be a bit difficult, considering who his father is.”

Xie Qichen turned his head to look at her, while Tan Mo fearlessly met his gaze, letting out a slight huff of displeasure, “Isn’t that exactly what happened? After you came back to China, I had planned to keep my distance from you, but you schemed on me and even tricked me into becoming your wife.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen’s dark eyes softened with a glimmer of laughter, “If that’s the case, then I was indeed quite unreasonable.”

Tan Mo huffed with feigned indignation. Xie Qichen’s lips curled into a smile, his eyes brimming with deep affection as he gazed at her face and softly asked, “But what if the other person willingly falls into the trap?”

Meeting his close-up gaze, Tan Mo’s eyes softened a few seconds later as she smiled warmly, “Then that means… she must really like you.”

Xie Qichen smiled and pulled her into a passionate kiss, his cool minty breath enveloping her as he kissed her deeply.

When the kiss ended, Tan Mo lay weakly in his arms, feeling his damp lips approach her ear, his breath igniting a fire within her:

“Yeah, I really like her too.”

Tan Mo’s dimples deepened as they embraced each other.

After some playful banter, Tan Mo patted her belly and teased Xie Qichen, “You shouldn’t say things like that earlier. If I’m actually carrying a son, he might get scared upon hearing those words and become unhappy.”

Then Tan Mo got up, saying she felt a bit tired, and lay down on the bed first. Xie Qichen finished reading and got up to take a shower in the bathroom.

Half-asleep, Tan Mo felt a while later that the bedside lamp was turned off, and the room became completely dark.

The drowsy girl turned over and felt the other side of the bed slightly sink down. Then her waist was gently wrapped in a warm embrace, pulled into the man’s heat, carrying the scent of water.

Tan Mo slightly opened her eyes and hugged his neck:

“Xie Qichen…”

Xie Qichen gently patted her back, softly saying, “Not asleep yet?”

“I wanted to wait for you to lie down before sleeping.”

He chuckled, “Once I lie down, you probably won’t be able to sleep anymore.”

Tan Mo sensed the implication in his words and playfully hit him in embarrassment. However, the man was only joking and had no intention of troubling her late at night.

After whispering a few words, Tan Mo’s sleepiness kicked in, and she yawned, “I’m so sleepy…”

“Yeah, go to sleep.”

Tan Mo smiled, “Goodnight, husband.”

A few seconds later, she felt the man beside her get up and then gently stroke her belly, kissing it.

Tan Mo was surprised, “What are you doing…”

Xie Qichen softly said, “Apologizing to our son.”

Tan Mo: ?

“Hoping he won’t be unhappy.”

Tan Mo was momentarily stunned before she couldn’t help but laugh. She grabbed his hand, “Xie Qichen, how can you be so cute…”

The man lay back down beside her, leaning over to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, speaking in a warm voice, “What I said tonight was just a joke.”

“Ah?”

Xie Qichen looked at her, his voice low and gentle:

“I like daughters, and I like sons too. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, I will make sure this child grows up happily. We will be together, and we will make him a happy child.”

Warmth surged in Tan Mo’s heart, “Yeah, definitely.”

Xie Qichen and Tan Mo would not become Xie Wenzong and Yang Xialan, who divorced back then. They would definitely not let their child suffer the same abandonment that Tan Mo had experienced.

They would heal each other’s childhood wounds and make up for each other’s regrets.

All the bad would remain in the past, and they would welcome the warmest and most beautiful future.

–

Time always passed a bit faster on workdays.

During the day, Tan Mo worked on editing videos, while Xie Qichen managed the group. They each stayed busy, and in the evening when Xie Qichen returned home, the two of them would act like young lovers in love again, clinging to each other.

Two days later, the weekend arrived.

Saturday night was the engagement party of Tan Zhiwan and Ying Xiao.

Perhaps Tan’s mother had asked Tan Zhiwan to be more considerate and not invite her younger sister to the engagement party without saying anything herself, so during the day, Tan Zhiwan personally sent the time and location of the evening event to Tan Mo’s phone:

[Remember to come early with Xie Qichen.]

After receiving it, Tan Mo replied: [Okay, got it.]

In the morning, Xie Qichen was in the study attending an international meeting, while Tan Mo went to the kitchen to film a dessert video.

After lunch, Tan Mo, as usual, took a nap and went back to the bedroom for a rest.

Xie Qichen was still busy, so she was the only one occupying the big bed.

She set an alarm for 3:30 PM, but unexpectedly, a little after three, it wasn’t the alarm that woke her up, but Xie Qichen.

Tan Mo was stirred by his actions, murmuring drowsily at first thinking it was a dream. However, when she opened her eyes and saw what he was doing, her face instantly turned as red as a small tomato.

Biting her lips, her eyes filled with tears, she tried to push him away but was completely powerless:

“Xie Qichen…”

How could this person be so wild…

After finishing his work, the man had originally intended to lie beside Tan Mo for a while, but upon entering the bedroom, he saw her lying there in a thin nightgown.

His eyes darkened, and his inherent mischievousness was stirred.

How could a man who had been eating light meals for almost a week resist.

Finally, the man’s lips were glistening with moisture as he got up and hugged her, chuckling softly, his voice hoarse:

“Baby, how could you be like this even when you’re asleep?”

Tan Mo’s mind went blank, her whole body as soft as cotton.

Wuwuwu this person was just too bad…

The white sheer curtains fluttered outside the window. Finally, as it approached four-thirty, Xie Qichen finally let her go after Tan Mo pleaded, holding her to take a shower.

The poor girl, having been devoured, was afraid she wouldn’t make it to the engagement party on time and was too upset to even talk to him.

After showering, Tan Mo went to change into her dress and scolded him: “Xie Qichen, it’s good that it’s winter now, if it were summer, how could I wear a dress!”

“Sorry, Mo Mo, I was wrong.”

“Hmph, looks like you’re apologizing in name only, not changing your ways.”

Finally, after getting ready, at around six in the evening, the two left home. Half an hour later, their Rolls-Royce arrived at the entrance of the largest five-star hotel in Licheng.

Getting out of the car and walking into the hotel, they finally reached the ballroom on the top floor.

Holding Tan Mo’s hand, Xie Qichen walked over. Tan Zhiwan turned her head and saw the two of them, slightly stunned. Beside her, Ying Xiao, with a smile, greeted them warmly: “Tan Mo, Qichen—”

Ying Xiao greeted them now as a brother-in-law, and seeing this, Tan Zhiwan obediently stepped forward as well.

Everyone maintained a good relationship on the surface. Besides, Xie Qichen and Ying Xiao had no real conflicts. The two men shook hands, and Xie Qichen smiled and said:

“Congratulations, happy engagement.”

Ying Xiao smiled: “Thank you.”

Then, Ying Xiao turned to look at Tan Mo’s pregnant belly and smiled as he asked:

“How many months along is the baby?”

Tan Mo, hugged by Xie Qichen, gave Ying Xiao a slight smile: “More than four months.”

“Time really flies. It won’t be long before the baby is born.”

Then Tan’s father and mother came out. Worried that Tan Mo might find it inconvenient during pregnancy, the parents led Tan Mo and Xie Qichen to sit inside first.

Standing in place, Tan Zhiwan watched Xie Qichen hug Tan Mo with her belly bulging as they walked inside, as sweet as ever. A slight bitterness stirred in her heart, and she slightly pulled her lips and murmured softly:

“How nice…”

Ying Xiao, standing beside her, asked indifferently: “What’s so nice?”

Tan Zhiwan pursed her lips, “Nothing.”

Ying Xiao, uninterested in probing further, held her hand, “Come on, let’s go greet my uncle’s family.”

“Okay…”

Tan Zhiwan responded softly, suppressing other emotions.

That evening, the engagement party invited numerous prominent figures from Licheng’s business circles. As it marked the union of the Tan and Ying families—two major aristocratic clans—the event was naturally held on a grand scale.

At seven o’clock, the engagement ceremony officially began.

Tan Zhiwan, arm in arm with Ying Xiao, walked onto the stage. Under the dazzling lights, both had smiles on their faces, looking affectionate and loving.

After the procedures were completed, they opened champagne together, cut the cake, and the guests could freely interact and chat.

Tan Mo went to greet the elders like Tan family’s grandmother. Knowing that Tan Mo was pregnant, the elderly lady thought about having a great-grandchild, although not a blood relative, she was still very happy and treated Tan Mo with great care.

After meeting the elders, Tan Mo wanted to get some fresh air, so she took a cup of juice and went to the outdoor lawn.

Leaning against the railing to rest, after a while, Xie Qichen, who had finished talking with others, came out. Seeing him in a suit, dignified and cold, Tan Mo recalled his afternoon behavior of pressing her and rushing wildly, her face slightly blushed. She pretended not to see him in embarrassment and wanted to sneak away.

While taking off his suit jacket, Xie Qichen blocked her path, his eyebrows raised, “Ignoring me?”

“Hmph…”

The girl’s coquettish manner amused the man, who chuckled softly. Xie Qichen wrapped his jacket around her and kissed her earlobe:

“It’s just waking you up from your nap. Are you still angry about it?”

Tan Mo’s cheeks turned red, “You still dare to mention it…”

“Don’t be angry anymore. I won’t do it like that in the future, okay?”

The two flirted affectionately, sweet and intimate. However, this scene was inadvertently seen by Tan Zhiwan’s group of friends nearby.

Sitting on the sofa, someone sighed with admiration: “Never thought that even after marriage, Xie Qichen still seems to like Tan Mo so much. Their relationship is really good.”

“Yeah, we used to think Tan Mo was just a pawn in Xie Qichen’s political marriage, and that they were only pretending to get along. Wow, turns out I was the one being fooled.”

“Exactly, Tan Mo is even pregnant now. I heard that Xie Qichen spoils Tan Mo to the skies…”

“Come on, don’t say that. What if Wanwan hears it…”

Initially, everyone didn’t think much of Tan Mo and Xie Qichen’s political marriage, always feeling that Tan Mo couldn’t win Xie Qichen’s heart. Later, they discovered the truth was quite the opposite; it was Xie Qichen who had long been in love with Tan Mo.

Now, even if they felt envious, they could only watch helplessly.

Around nine o’clock at night, the engagement party ended, and the guests gradually left.

Tan’s mother asked Tan Mo to go back and rest early. Tan Mo said goodbye to the elders and left with Xie Qichen.

The two took the elevator to the underground garage, where Xie Qichen hugged her:

“Are you tired tonight?”

Tan Mo smiled happily, “Not tired at all. It’s quite relaxing. Ever since I got pregnant, everyone treats me like a national treasure, constantly taking special care of me. Most importantly, no relatives or friends come to bother me, and everyone takes care of my feelings.”

Xie Qichen smiled slightly, “You seem to be enjoying it.”

Thinking about tonight’s engagement party, Tan Mo curiously asked him, “Xie Qichen, do you think Tan Zhiwan and Ying Xiao are truly in love, or is their engagement due to the economic interests of their families?”

Xie Qichen thought for a moment and said indifferently, “Not sure. Maybe both. Feelings can be complicated.”

Tan Mo sighed, saying slowly, “Right, not everyone is as silly as someone who directly gives someone else dozens of billions just to beg them to be his wife.”

Xie Qichen chuckled and pinched her cheek, “Teasing me?”

Tan Mo’s eyes sparkled with laughter, “Xie Qichen, if I didn’t like you, I’d take all your money and divorce you, becoming a rich single woman, traveling around the world, and dating all kinds of young, cute boys.”

Xie Qichen: …

The man was both amused and annoyed, “All kinds of young, cute boys?”

Is this person implying he’s too old?

Tan Mo covered her mouth and laughed, her dark eyes rolling as she stared at him. He pressed her into his arms, “Tan Mo, do you know that everyone has to take responsibility for their words and actions?”

Tan Mo immediately cowered, lowering the corners of her mouth, “I was just kidding. You actually took it seriously. I wouldn’t dare.”

Finally, the two walked into the underground garage. Xie Qichen hadn’t drunk tonight because he was driving himself.

They got into the Bugatti Veyron. Xie Qichen drove steadily. Tan Mo rolled down half the window, letting the wind rush in, feeling exhilarated as they moved forward without obstruction under the neon night sky.

Half an hour later, the car slowly entered the villa area.

Tan Mo casually turned her head and saw Xie Qichen with one hand on the steering wheel, concentrating on the road ahead. His white shirt collar was slightly open, and his short black hair was tousled by the wind.

Light and shadow swept across the man’s sharply defined profile, his thin lips slightly pursed, exuding a cold, masculine aura.

Tan Mo realized that no matter how long she had known him, he could still make her heart flutter.

Finally, the garage door of the villa opened, and Xie Qichen drove the car inside.

After parking, he fastened the seat belt and turned to Tan Mo:

“Time to get out.”

Suddenly, Tan Mo leaned forward and kissed his Adam’s apple, playfully winking at him with her water-like eyes: “Honey, the lights in the underground garage are so dim. I’m a bit scared.”

Xie Qichen’s body stiffened. He turned to meet her mischievous smile, understanding her intention, his eyes darkening:

“Scared? I think you’re quite bold.”

Tan Mo blushed, trying to hide, but her wrist was grabbed. He whispered seductively in her ear:

“Want to try something in the underground garage, huh?”

Tan Mo’s heart raced. The next moment, Xie Qichen pushed the seat back, leaning back lazily. His long legs, clad in black trousers, were slightly apart, exuding a blatant air of sophistication. His fingertip tickled her palm, his voice low and husky:

“If you like, come up and play by yourself.”