Chapter 62:

Upon hearing this, Tan Mo couldn’t help but laugh, lightly punching Xie Qichen’s chest, “How come even a grandson came up…”

“You were the one who said we should wait a while before having kids, right?”

The man raised his eyebrows, “Since you already think I’m old, I don’t mind getting a bit older.”

Tan Mo’s eyes sparkled with laughter as she hugged his neck, “Who said you’re old? My husband isn’t old at all. You’re still so handsome now.”

The towel slipped from her pale shoulder, and Xie Qichen naturally wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace, his eyes darkening with desire.

“Trying to flatter me?”

“I’m just telling the truth. Do you know that there are still many women outside who have their eyes on you?”

She tugged at his tie, “I have so many rivals. They all want to push me off the position of Mrs. Xie.”

Xie Qichen kissed her brow, “Who could ever replace you?”

His Mrs. Xie would always be just one person in this lifetime.

Tan Mo smiled sweetly, “Exactly. After all, I’ve been on someone’s mind for many years.”

Thinking back to what had just happened, she steered the topic back, “I was just joking when I said we should wait seven more years. How could you actually believe me? We can’t possibly wait that long to have kids, and it’s also not good for my body to have kids too late.”

Thinking for a moment, Tan Mo added, “How about we wait another two years? I’m not ready to be a mom yet.”

“Okay.”

Xie Qichen’s deep voice whispered by her ear, “Let’s enjoy our time as a couple first.”

They had been together for less than a year, right in the midst of their passionate love. If they were to have a child now, their couple’s world would soon turn into a family of three. Both of them were reluctant to let go.

Feeling the man’s warm palm rubbing her lower back, Tan Mo blushed slightly and softly hummed, “I think someone has other intentions.”

Xie Qichen smirked, his voice low,

“Yeah, I have many intentions, all related to you.”

Tan Mo felt a surge of sweetness in her heart and stopped teasing him, murmuring softly, “I’m a bit cold. Are you just going to leave me lying here naked?”

“I’ll go get you some clothes.”

Xie Qichen quickly got up and went to the wardrobe to fetch a dress. Tonight, Tan Mo’s parents and Yang Xialan had made plans with them to have seafood at a restaurant on the island, so they still needed to go out later.

When he returned with the dress, Tan Mo wanted to take it herself, but the man pulled her into his arms facing him, “Let me help you put it on.”

Tan Mo felt shy, but since he had already seen her countless times, she obediently curled up in his arms and let him take care of her.

As Xie Qichen dressed her in the dress, he kept teasing her, making Tan Mo’s face heat up after a while. She glared at him angrily,

“Xie Qichen, if you keep touching me like this?”

He chuckled lowly and kissed her cheek, looking at her, “Sorry, my hands just act contrary to what I’m thinking.”

Tan Mo understood his meaning and blushed even more.

This guy was indeed a rogue…

Eventually, Xie Qichen helped her properly wear the dress. As Tan Mo gazed at him, love surged in her heart, and she coquettishly said, “Honey, kiss me.”

Her head was pulled back by him, and the man’s lips immediately pressed onto hers.

He kissed her lips tenderly, occasionally sucking lightly, the sweet scent of lychee juice in her mouth spreading between his teeth. Xie Qichen savored the sweet taste of the girl’s soft cherry lips, unable to resist kissing her more deeply.

Tan Mo was overwhelmed by his kiss, her slender waist instinctively swaying, wanting to get closer to him.

After a while, the man reluctantly stopped, his palm pressing on her, feeling her emotions, and huskily stopping her,

“Don’t move around, okay? Don’t want me to hurt you again later?”

Tan Mo’s eyes, like water-filled grapes, turned red at the edges. Xie Qichen checked on the girl and noticed they were indeed red. Considering her well-being, he gently coaxed her,

“No more today. We need to apply medicine later, okay?”

Tan Mo blushed and murmured, “Then you can’t come near me anymore. Keep a meter away from me.”

The man smiled, “You’re serious?”

“Of course. Let’s see who can’t resist.”

“Alright,” Xie Qichen suppressed the corner of his lips, “then let’s try.”

Tan Mo, determined not to lose, was resolute and decisive. She immediately got off his lap and walked to the mirror to fix her hair and clothes. Xie Qichen leaned on the bed with his hands, lazily smirking as he watched her. Her collar was slightly open, giving him a look of refined debauchery.

…Was this guy trying to seduce her?

Tan Mo held her expression, deliberately avoiding his gaze. Once she was done, she turned to Xie Qichen, “When are we leaving?”

Xie Qichen had just received a call from Yang Xialan, who said they were ready and would meet at the villa’s entrance.

Xie Qichen said to Tan Mo, “We can go downstairs now.”

“Okay.”

Tan Mo shook her hands and didn’t linger near Xie Qichen, directly walking downstairs.

When the two reached the entrance, Tan Mo’s parents and Yang Xialan, who lived in the villas next door, had already arrived and were chatting happily. Xie Wenzong needed more rest and thus wouldn’t join them.

Tan Mo walked over and laughed as she linked arms with her mother and Yang Xialan, “Mom, Mom, let’s go eat.”

Her mother and Yang Xialan laughed, “Let’s go…”

So Tan Mo walked ahead, linked arms with the two mothers, while Xie Qichen, with a complicated expression, followed behind Tan Mo’s father.

The island breeze gently blew, and the sky was adorned with a pinkish-purple evening glow; the evening scenery was beautiful.

Yang Xialan looked at Tan Mo, “Has Mo Mo rested enough? Are you still tired?”

“No more tired, sorry Mom, I overslept today because I was too sleepy.”

“It’s okay, resting more isn’t a bad thing.”

After a while, the group arrived at the restaurant and were led to a private room. Upon entering, Xie Qichen wanted to pull out a chair for Tan Mo to sit, but to his surprise, Tan Mo still held onto her mother and Yang Xialan, smiling, “I want to sit between the two moms.”

Xie Qichen: …

Was this person really playing this game with him?

They paused for a moment, looking at Xie Qichen, and laughed, “Sure, won’t you sit with Achen?”

Tan Mo turned her eyes to meet Xie Qichen’s intense gaze, smiling even more, “It’s okay, I want to sit with you today.”

Hmph, she would make sure to keep a meter away from him.

After everyone sat down, Xie Qichen let the elders choose the dishes. Once the basic dishes were ordered, the waiter said that the seafood was priced according to the season and needed to be chosen outside, so Tan Mo and Xie Qichen let them go out to see what seafood they wanted.

After the three left, the private room was left with just the two of them.

Tan Mo looked up at Xie Qichen and hummed a song, not moving from her seat, and took out her phone to scroll.

A few seconds later, a shadow loomed beside her. Before she could look up, the next moment, her body was lifted into the air.

“Hey…”

When she came to her senses, she was already sitting on Xie Qichen’s lap. The man’s face was dark, “You’re really keeping a meter away from me?”

“Isn’t this what you said you wanted to try?”

Tan Mo laughed, “Why? Are you going to give up and lose?”

“Yeah, I lose.”

Xie Qichen’s voice was husky as he said, “You sit next to me, don’t go anywhere else.”

Just as Xie Qichen finished speaking, Yang Xialan’s laughter came from the doorway. They turned their heads and saw that the three had already come back after choosing the seafood.

As they entered, they unexpectedly heard Xie Qichen’s words. Yang Xialan laughed heartily,

“Achen, you can’t stand it just because Mo Mo is sitting next to us two? This is the first time I’ve seen you like this, so attached to your wife, hahaha.”

“It’s normal. It’s good for a man to be attached to his wife.”

Tan Mo’s mother said, and Tan Mo’s father also had a smile on his face. Tan Mo stood up and saw Xie Qichen’s rare awkward expression being teased, desperately trying to suppress the corners of her mouth.

Never thought Xie Qichen would have such an embarrassing side, hahaha…

Originally, Tan Mo wanted to sit back in her original seat, but Yang Xialan stopped her, “Mo Mo, you just sit next to Achen. If you don’t sit next to him, I think he won’t even be able to eat his meal properly, hahaha.”

Xie Qichen: …

In the end, Tan Mo sat next to Xie Qichen, smiling radiantly. Her hand was held under the table by him. Looking at her mischievous expression, the man smiled helplessly,

“You’re so happy seeing me being teased?”

Tan Mo acted coy, “Didn’t Mom tease you rightly?”

Xie Qichen lifted the corner of his lips, “Yeah, it’s quite right.”

Everyone chatted as the dishes were brought to the table one after another. Yang Xialan suddenly remembered something and brought it up at the dinner table with Tan Mo’s parents,

“Do you know? At first, I thought Achen and Mo Mo got into an arranged marriage because they liked each other. Because Achen said he had a long-time crush on Mo Mo. Later, I found out that back then, Achen actually wanted to act with Mo Mo in front of me, just to pursue her.”

Tan Mo’s mother was surprised, “There was such a thing?”

“That’s right. Actually, the two of them liked each other long ago. They just used the arranged marriage as an opportunity to start dating. Both of them were enjoying it.”

Tan Mo’s father: “So my idea of arranging their marriage was actually a lucky coincidence?”

Xie Qichen smiled gently and explained in a soft voice, “Dad, actually, I came back to the country initially to pursue Mo Mo. Later, when the arranged marriage came up, I just went with the flow.”

“I see. At first, I was thinking of having my eldest daughter marry Qichen. It seems like the two of them were destined to be together.”

Yang Xialan laughed, “Achen, now that you’ve finally married the girl you like, you must treat Mo Mo well.”

The man held Tan Mo’s hand and turned to look at her, her dimples showing, her black eyes as gentle as water,

“Yeah, I definitely will.”

The little girl he cherished like a treasure naturally deserved a lifetime of love and protection.

–

After the wedding, the guests were arranged to freely tour the island for two days, and finally, everyone flew back home. The man took the girl and flew to other places for their honeymoon, making up for the graduation trip he had promised her.

It was rare for Xie Qichen to not be so busy dealing with the group’s affairs, and he could accompany Tan Mo all day long. Tan Mo also indulged herself and became especially clingy to him.

Every moment they spent together was like being immersed in honey, their feelings growing stronger. Each day felt like they were in the honeymoon phase.

After two weeks of leisure, the two flew back home. At the same time, a piece of good news suddenly arrived—

Xie Siyuan had finally woken up.

After months of treatment, Xie Siyuan miraculously regained consciousness. This news undoubtedly lifted a huge weight off Xie Wenzong and Zhen Mei’s hearts, and they were overjoyed.

Xie Wenzong called Xie Qichen to tell him that Xie Siyuan also wanted to see him.

So a few days later, after Xie Siyuan slightly recovered, Xie Qichen took Tan Mo to the hospital to visit.

In the afternoon, pushing open the ward door, Xie Siyuan, who was lying in bed, turned his head upon hearing the sound and looked at Xie Qichen walking in. His eyes lit up, and he smiled as he spoke,

“Brother, you came…”

The man walked to his bedside, looked down at Xie Siyuan, and teased him in a low voice,

“Did you sleep enough?”

Xie Siyuan smiled, “It felt like I slept for decades. I never want to sleep again.”

“How are you feeling now?”

“Pretty good, just a bit tired.”

“You still need to rest properly for a while.”

“Yeah,” Xie Siyuan looked at Tan Mo beside Xie Qichen, “Is this my sister-in-law?”

Xie Qichen nodded. Tan Mo greeted him, and Xie Siyuan smiled, “It feels like I missed a lot while I was unconscious.”

“It’s okay, as long as you’re awake now.”

Xie Siyuan smiled and finally looked up at Xie Qichen,

“Brother, I want to go for a walk in the garden. Can you push me to take a stroll?”

…

On an early autumn afternoon, the air carried a slight chill, and occasionally, some leaves fell from the plane trees, with the sunlight being gentle.

Xie Siyuan sat in a wheelchair while Xie Qichen pushed him to the park behind the hospital.

The two brothers chatted lightly,

Xie Siyuan mentioned that upon regaining consciousness, he learned from his father that during his comatose state, Xie Qichen had been diligently investigating the circumstances surrounding his car accident. It was Xie Qichen who first uncovered the involvement of Xie Wengang and his son in the incident and ensured they faced legal consequences. Furthermore, Xie Qichen had also made arrangements for top-tier medical professionals to provide him with treatment.

Xie Siyuan had always liked his older brother Xie Qichen. Since childhood, Xie Qichen had been his role model.

Since he went abroad, the two brothers had rarely been in touch. Xie Siyuan had thought that Xie Qichen no longer regarded him as a younger brother.

“Brother, I’m really grateful to you.”

Xie Qichen sat down on a nearby bench and turned to look at him, unable to handle his overly sentimental words, “Don’t say thanks. Just focus on recovering and don’t make Dad worry so much.”

Xie Siyuan nodded, “I heard from Dad that after my accident, you came back to take over the group. The group is developing very well now. You came back and had a business marriage. I saw my sister-in-law just now. I’ve seen her before. She’s very beautiful.”

“Yeah.”

The man explained softly, “We didn’t have an arranged marriage. We truly love each other.”

Xie Siyuan was slightly taken aback and then smiled, “That’s even better. Brother, I hope you and my sister-in-law have a perfect and happy life together.”

Xie Qichen nodded, “Once you’ve recovered, she said she’ll invite you for a meal.”

Xie Siyuan smiled, “Then I have to remember that.”

The two chatted for a while longer before Xie Qichen pushed him back to the ward, and then prepared to leave.

Before leaving, in front of Zhen Mei, Xie Siyuan called out to Xie Qichen,

“Brother, the doctor said I can be discharged next week. Can you come home for dinner on Friday night? It’s been a long time since we last had dinner together. Bring my sister-in-law along.”

Zhen Mei looked at Xie Qichen, pursed her lips, and cautiously asked, “Yeah… if you’re free, please come for dinner?”

When Zhen Mei learned that she had misunderstood Xie Qichen and that the man had found doctors for Xie Siyuan overseas, she was deeply shocked. She had always thought she had treated Xie Qichen so badly, but never expected that Xie Qichen still regarded Xie Siyuan as his younger brother.

In the following days, Xie Wenzong also asked Zhen Mei to talk many times. Gradually, Zhen Mei came to realize how excessive she had been before. Each time she thought about it, her heart was filled with guilt.

Now, she didn’t even hope that Xie Qichen could forgive her, but she wanted to make amends as much as she could, to keep their relationship from being too strained, and also to express her gratitude for his help to Xie Siyuan.

Upon hearing this, the man finally spoke: “We’ll see, I should have time.”

Xie Siyuan smiled, “Yeah, do come.”

After leaving the ward, Xie Qichen and Tan Mo went downstairs.

As they walked toward the hospital parking lot, with no strangers around, Tan Mo smiled and teased him, “It feels like Xie Siyuan really looks up to you as his older brother, right?”

Xie Qichen helplessly tugged at the corner of his mouth: “He’s always been like this since childhood, I don’t know why.”

“I guess it’s because he thinks you’re really great. And I can feel it too, he’s actually quite kind-hearted inside.”

Over all these years, he hadn’t been corrupted by Zhen Mei.

Tan Mo asked him, “And did Dad say anything about how the group will be arranged now that your brother has woken up?”

The man’s tone remained normal: “Just follow my father’s decision.”

Whether or not he becomes the president of Aochuang doesn’t really matter to him, nor does he long for it.

“Last year, if Xie Siyuan hadn’t had that accident, he might have become CEO in October. I might even have had the chance to form a marriage alliance with him back then, which would have been really scary.”

Xie Qichen wrapped his arm around her shoulders: “Don’t worry, if that day ever comes, I’ll come back to take you away.”

As he tightened his grip on her hand, he murmured softly, “Compared to you, everything else just isn’t important.”

Everyone wants status and wealth, but if he had to trade Tan Mo for all that, he would give it all up without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Tan Mo’s lips curved into a smile.

In her heart, it was the same too.

…

After visiting Xie Siyuan, the two left. He remained in the hospital for another week of observation and treatment. His physical indicators gradually returned to normal. However, after such a long coma, he still needed a long time of rehabilitation and rest to fully recover.

The following week, Xie Siyuan was discharged from the hospital, and Xie Qichen took Tan Mo to the Xie family villa for dinner.

The atmosphere of this dinner was refreshingly harmonious and relaxed compared to the past. With Xie Siyuan’s recovery, Xie Wenzong’s spirit and energy had also greatly improved.

After dinner, Xie Wenzong invited Xie Qichen to the study for tea.

While discussing matters concerning the group, Xie Wenzong teased Xie Qichen, saying he shouldn’t even think about stepping down and letting someone else take over:

“Dad has made up his mind to hand the group over to you. And it’s not just my opinion, it’s also the wish of your Aunt Zhen Mei and Siyuan.”

Two days earlier, Xie Siyuan had spoken with Xie Wenzong and Zhen Mei. He expressed that he didn’t want to go into business. In fact, last year when he was supposed to take over the group, it was only because Xie Wenzong’s health was poor and he had to take on the responsibility. But on his own, he didn’t want to become the leader managing such a large Aochuang Group, as he found it exhausting.

Moreover, under Xie Qichen’s leadership, Aochuang had been thriving and gaining recognition from many people. Xie Siyuan was well aware that his abilities were definitely not as strong as Xie Qichen’s.

Xie Siyuan didn’t want to become someone like Xie Sikang, who ended up in conflict with his own brother over fame, status, and power. He just wanted to cherish the days ahead, do things he was interested in, and live a relaxed and happy life.

Xie Siyuan’s ideas were agreed upon by Xie Wenzong and Zhen Mei. In the past, Zhen Mei absolutely would not have allowed the group to fall into Xie Qichen’s hands. But during the six months Xie Siyuan was in a coma, she had become increasingly regretful. If she hadn’t pushed Xie Siyuan so hard to take over the group, he might not have become a target for others and nearly lost his life.

Her only wish now was for Xie Siyuan to be healthy and safe. As long as he was doing well, she would let him do whatever he wanted.

Moreover, this was also a good thing for Xie Siyuan. With a big family and wealth, he wouldn’t have to manage the group. Xie Wenzong would also leave him a lot of assets, allowing him to live comfortably as a carefree, wealthy second-generation heir.

In the end, Xie Qichen agreed and promised to take good care of Xie Siyuan as his younger brother.

That evening, after returning to the villa, Tan Mo learned about this and teased the man with a smile: “Looks like the burden of the group still has to fall on you. You can’t escape it. But as the president’s wife, I have full confidence in your abilities. You’ll definitely do great.”

The man smirked, “So, the madam has so much confidence in me?”

Tan Mo’s eyes curved into crescent moons: “Of course! I’m also waiting for you to make me a rich lady.”

Xie Qichen scooped her up in one swift motion, carrying her upstairs with a smile: “Alright then, I’ll have to earn more money to support our family. Otherwise, what if I can’t afford to take care of Mrs. Xie in the future?”

Tan Mo giggled, “That’s right…”

They laughed and talked as they went upstairs, the warm lights of the villa lighting up with each of their steps, exuding the warmth of home in the night.

–

After returning from the wedding abroad and resolving Xie Siyuan’s matter satisfactorily, Tan Mo and Xie Qichen officially entered their post-marriage life.

Xie Qichen continued to vigorously push forward the group’s reform and development. He did not become complacent or stop progressing after achieving some success, but instead expanded into new areas, pushed forward a new round of product development, and pursued the goal of transitioning from domestic to international markets.

As for Tan Mo, she had been thinking about whether she should pursue a career related to computer science, since both Yuntong and Aochuang could offer her high-level positions and she had the capability to excel. However, exploring culinary delights remained her greatest passion. She felt that if she worked, she would likely be too busy and might not have much time to make videos anymore.

She was conflicted and asked Xie Qichen for advice. The man told her that as long as she was happy, she could do whatever she wanted, as she had no financial burdens to worry about.

After much consideration, Tan Mo decided to follow her heart and pursue her passion by becoming a full-time food video blogger.

This way, she wouldn’t be too exhausted and would have more time to spend with Xie Qichen.

Moreover, after becoming a full-time blogger, Tan Mo didn’t become lazy. Instead, she spent more time improving herself, honing her cooking skills, and deepening her understanding of food.

In addition to cooking at home, she also traveled to various cities and even abroad to explore more culinary delights. Her videos became increasingly exciting and rich, attracting more and more followers.

Gradually, she began to see her own strengths. Not only did she have Xie Qichen’s love, but the affection and recognition from her fans slowly helped her overcome her insecurities.

She was very happy that both she and Xie Qichen were shining in their respective fields.

A year passed in the blink of an eye.

Before they knew it, another scorching summer had arrived.

Aochuang’s fourth-generation AirPlay product was successfully launched in July, receiving high praise from the industry and achieving record-breaking sales. After months of intense work, Xie Qichen finally had some time to relax. Meanwhile, Tan Mo had just returned to Licheng after completing the filming of a food documentary.

The brief separation felt like a new marriage, and with the weekend upon them, the man naturally pulled the girl into bed for a night of passionate lovemaking, feeling as if their love could never be fully expressed.

The next day, Saturday, Xie Qichen stayed with Tan Mo at the villa. In the afternoon, they received a call from Xun Huo and Song Ranxia, inviting them for dinner at their home.

At the beginning of this year, Xun Huo and Song Ranxia had tied the knot, and their life together was now very sweet.

Since Xie Qichen and Xun Huo were like brothers, the two families often kept in touch, and Tan Mo and Song Ranxia had also become friends.

That evening, Tan Mo and Xie Qichen accepted the invitation and went to their home. A big table full of dishes was prepared. At the dinner table, Song Ranxia poured red wine for the other three but took fruit juice for herself. Tan Mo was surprised: “Sister Ranxia, you’re not going to drink with us tonight?”

Upon hearing this, Song Ranxia’s face slightly flushed. Beside her, Xun Huo spoke with a voice brimming with hidden joy:

“She’s pregnant now, so she can’t drink.”

Tan Mo was astonished: “Pregnant?!!”

Song Ranxia nodded with a smile: “Yes, one month already.”

Since Xun Huo and Song Ranxia were at the right age, they had started trying for a child after their marriage, hoping to have one sooner rather than later. After six months of effort, they finally succeeded. That was why they had invited Tan Mo and Xie Qichen over tonight—to share their joy.

Upon hearing this good news, the two were genuinely happy for them. Tan Mo smiled and said, “Brother Huo, you must take good care of Sister Ranxia now. She’s a national treasure-level protected person.”

Song Ranxia smiled at Xun Huo: “Did you hear that?”

Xun Huo grinned and took her hand: “Of course, that’s a given.”

After dinner, Tan Mo accompanied Song Ranxia to the sofa to rest and chat, discussing the pregnancy.

Meanwhile, Xun Huo and Xie Qichen, the two brothers, went to the balcony to drink tea. As Xun Huo brewed the tea, he looked at Xie Qichen with curiosity and teased:

“Hey, you and Tan Mo… how come you haven’t made any progress yet? Ranxia and I got married much later than you two and already have one. So, Xie Qichen, are you telling me you’re not up to it?”

Xie Qichen: “… “

The man paused slightly with his teacup in hand, then glanced at him with eyes as cold as an ice cellar:

“Not up to it, my ass.”

“Tan Mo and I just haven’t planned on having kids yet.”

Xun Huo was surprised: “Ah? You’re not planning to have any yet?”

“Tan Mo just graduated, she’s still young, and we’re not in a hurry.”

Xie Qichen leisurely sipped his tea.

Xun Huo couldn’t help but laugh: “You really shouldn’t say stuff like that. But it’s true, Tan Mo is young, but you’re not. You’re already thirty-one.”

“…”

The older man, feeling a bit stung, had an even darker expression on his face as he looked at Xun Huo, who was laughing heartily. “Are you really that happy to show off in front of me?”

Xun Huo barely managed to suppress his smile: “Just kidding. Anyway, thirty-one isn’t old at all for a man. I just thought you’d be the first to have a kid, but it turned out I’m the one who became a father first. Looks like you’ll have to come to me for parenting advice in the future.”

Xie Qichen smirked, “I can just read books. Do I really need to ask you?”

“I’ve experienced it firsthand, so maybe it’s better than reading books…”

After chatting late into the evening, around nine o’clock, Tan Mo and Xie Qichen saw that it was about time and left after making sure Song Ranxia got enough rest.

Back home, as Tan Mo and Xie Qichen walked upstairs, the girl said, “Tonight I talked a lot with Sister Ranxia. She seems really happy.”

“They both really look forward to the child.”

Tan Mo smiled and hugged Xie Qichen, looking up at him:

“Are you secretly envious inside?”

Xie Qichen embraced her, pressed her against the bedroom door, leaned down to kiss her, and murmured after a pause: “Not really.”

“Not really?”

“We’ll have our own kids sooner or later. Why envy?”

Tan Mo arched her eyebrows, smiling, “That’s right, we’ll definitely have them sooner or later…”

She stood on her tiptoes and eagerly met his kiss. The room lights were not on yet, and the temperature in the air seemed to keep rising. As the man kissed the young girl, his low and husky voice was enticing:

“I don’t feel like thinking about kids right now. I can only think about you.”

“Umm…”

After a while, Xie Qichen picked her up, “Let’s go take a shower.”

In the bathroom, their kisses grew increasingly fervent and inseparable, until finally Tan Mo was lifted onto the sink counter. Xie Qichen pressed a lingering kiss to her earlobe:

“The condom is outside, I’ll go get it.”

Tan Mo didn’t loosen her embrace, still clinging to him, their lips still locked together. A moment later, the man held her tightly, gazing deeply into her eyes: “Or maybe we don’t get it?”

Tan Mo hesitated, “Is that okay…”

“It should be fine. It’s not that easy to get lucky.”

Although there is a probability of this happening, the chances are relatively small, and besides, Xun Huo and Song Ranxia had been trying for a child for over half a year before they succeeded.

Hearing him say this, Tan Mo softly agreed, not wanting him to stop, and eagerly offered her lips once more.

Inside the bathroom, the air gradually became misty.

With no restraints, Xie Qichen indulged himself in the bathroom, and Tan Mo also enjoyed the unique experience, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Half an hour later, he carried the girl out and opened the drawer of the cabinet.

He handed the item to her, his voice low and seductive:

“Continue.”

Tan Mo’s face flushed red, and in the dim light, she pouted with a touch of pride: “Why are you always in such a hurry? You can’t even wait for a moment…”

The man’s breathing was uneven, and his eyes never left her:

“How can I stop when I see you like this?”

After everything was done, he rolled over and pulled her deeper into the sweet embrace.

Outside the window, the moonlight was soft, a crescent moon hanging in the sky, stretching the night into something long and lingering…

–

They spent a relaxed and affectionate weekend together, finally filling the void of their longing for each other.

On Monday, Xie Qichen returned to work.

As for Tan Mo, she had been working too intensely lately, so she decided to take a break, staying at home to rest and slowly editing her videos at her own pace.

Although Xie Qichen was busy with work, whenever Tan Mo was at home, he would basically return in the evening to have dinner with her. Tan Mo would also cook for him, making soup or preparing meals. Seeing how much he enjoyed her cooking, she felt an immense sense of achievement.

As the scorching heat of August passed, September arrived, and the temperature in Licheng became much cooler, finally bearable enough to go out during the day.

One Saturday morning, Tan Mo slept in until late. After waking up, she received a call from Ji Shu, who invited her out for some shopping:

“Autumn is just around the corner, I need to get some fall clothes soon. Won’t you come out and keep me company?”

Still groggy, Tan Mo got out of bed slowly and sleepily made her way to the bathroom: “Around here, there’s barely any autumn to speak of. You’ll barely get to wear those fall clothes before switching to winter wear.”

Ji Shu coaxed Tan Mo over the phone: “That’s true, but I still want to buy a few pieces. Mainly because I miss seeing you.”

Tan Mo yawned and smiled: “Then wait for me. I just woke up, I’m still so sleepy.”

“What time did you go to sleep last night? It’s already so late, and you’re still sleepy. Hurry up then, I’m going to do my makeup. Once you’re ready, call me. Let’s go out for lunch?”

“Okay.”

After hanging up the phone, Tan Mo covered her mouth and yawned again, feeling sluggish and weak all over.

As the saying goes, people tend to feel drowsy in spring and tired in autumn due to seasonal changes. These days, she felt like she couldn’t get enough sleep. Although she had gone to bed early last night, she still felt sleepy. Tan Mo shook her head, trying to stay alert.

After finishing her morning routine, she walked out of the bedroom. Xie Qichen was having an international meeting in his study early in the morning. She greeted him at the door and then went downstairs for breakfast.

A while later, Xie Qichen also finished his work and came downstairs. Tan Mo was biting into her toast, her eyes sparkling with a smile as she looked at him. “By the way, I’m going shopping with Ji Shu today. Does Mr. Xie approve?”

Xie Qichen smiled, patting her head. “When have I ever disapproved?”

“I just thought since it’s the weekend, I can’t accompany you, and you might miss me.”

The man sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. “I do miss you, but it’s okay. I also need to work overtime today to handle some group affairs. I’ll pick you up later, and we can have dinner out?”

“Great, then I’ll arrange to meet Ji Shu for lunch.”

Ten minutes later, after finishing breakfast, Tan Mo headed to the mall in a private car.

At the department store, Tan Mo met up with Ji Shu, and the two began shopping while chatting.

Ji Shu asked if she was free in a few days, since she needed to go on a business trip to Paris, and Tan Mo could accompany her for a few days of fun.

The girl thought about how bored she had been at home lately and that Xie Qichen couldn’t accompany her on any long trips for now, so she happily agreed.

Thus, after lunch, the two found a cafe to start planning their trip. Tan Mo focused on delicacies, while Ji Shu excitedly browsed various luxury items, preparing for a shopping spree.

In the evening, Tan Mo received a call from Xie Qichen saying he would come to pick her up. Tan Mo then said goodbye to Ji Shu first and was taken by Xie Qichen to have the sukiyaki she had been craving for a while.

However, for some unknown reason, she felt a lack of appetite after just a few bites, and even felt a bit queasy.

Tan Mo thought it was because she had drunk too much milk tea in the afternoon. Xie Qichen stopped her from eating further and took her to another restaurant with lighter flavors.

After dinner, around eight o’clock, the couple returned home.

The man had work to do and went to his study, while Tan Mo decided to do something as well, heading to the kitchen to film a video.

As planned, she was about to make a pepper-salt pork loin dish, but as soon as she poured oil into the pan and the cooking fumes hit her nose, she felt her stomach churn and a wave of nausea came over her.

She immediately turned off the stove and rushed to the sink.

After vomiting a bit, Tan Mo was filled with confusion.

This was the first time in all her years of cooking that she had felt nauseated by cooking fumes. What had she eaten today…?

While puzzled, Tan Mo suddenly recalled visiting Song Ranxia’s house last month, when the other girl had described similar early pregnancy symptoms. A sudden realization hit her like a thunderclap—

Oh my God, could she be pregnant?!?!?!

Recently, she and Xie Qichen had always been careful, except for that one night when they returned from Song Ranxia’s house and hadn’t used protection at first…

Mommy, they had only been careless once!! Impossible, impossible, QAQ.

Dazed, Tan Mo wanted to rush upstairs to find Xie Qichen, but hesitated, afraid he was busy, so she first ordered a pregnancy test online from her phone.

Twenty minutes later, the item was delivered.

Tan Mo took the package upstairs and hurried into the bedroom.

Meanwhile, in the study, Xie Qichen was sitting at his desk, legs crossed, wearing gold-rimmed glasses on his tall nose, calmly looking at the computer screen through the lenses, operating the mouse.

After a while, suddenly the study door opened.

The girl stood at the doorway, silently staring at him.

Hearing the sound, Xie Qichen looked up at her gently. “Wait for me a moment, I’ll be done soon.”

Tan Mo remained motionless at the spot, not speaking. A few seconds later, finding her behavior odd, Xie Qichen looked up again. “What’s wrong?”

Tan Mo pouted, looking at him with pitiful, aggrieved eyes:

“Xie Qichen, I won’t be with you anymore…”

Xie Qichen: ?

Confused, the man stood up and walked toward her, scooping her into his arms and carrying her into the study, smiling as he looked at her at eye level. “Why won’t you be with me anymore?”

“It’s all your fault! I had just made plans with Ji Shu to travel this afternoon, and now my trip to Paris is ruined. I worked so hard on the plans, waaah…”

Xie Qichen was puzzled. “Because of me?”

“Of course it’s because of you!”

Tan Mo angrily and shyly shoved the pregnancy test stick in front of him, which clearly showed two lines.

The girl in his arms was both angry and embarrassed, tearfully accusing him:

“Xie Qichen, you liar! You said the chances of getting pregnant were low—and then with just one time, you made me get pregnant! Waaah!”

Xie Qichen: ?!