Watching Lin Chuluo's retreating back, Jiang Xixi had a foreboding sense of unease in her heart.
It was highly likely that the baby in her womb was a girl.
A dizziness hit her mind. She felt beads of sweat constantly trickling down her forehead, and her breathing became rapid.
Jiang Xixi only felt that her legs were as numb as wooden stakes, too heavy to even lift. But she still dragged herself towards the restroom.
She huddled in a restroom cubicle, holding her phone with icy - cold hands. Her fingers were trembling so much that she could barely hold the phone.
Looking at the lit screen, Jiang Xixi couldn't find anyone to call for help for a moment.
The words Zhou Si had said flashed through her mind -
"If you still want to live, be on your guard against Lin Chuluo."
Her body trembled even more. She called Jiang Zhou, but there was no answer.
She thought about calling her parents, but the thought was quickly dismissed.
What could her parents do if they knew her current situation?
Now, a portion of the Jiang family's shares was in Lin Chuluo's hands. If things got out of control, it would be the Jiang family who would suffer.
It seemed that there was no choice but to compromise and accept her fate.
At that moment, Jiang Xixi felt completely hopeless.
She stared fixedly at the phone screen, watching the light gradually dim. She stiffly placed her hand on her abdomen, feeling the presence of her child.
This was her child, and no one was going to hurt it!
Just as the screen went dark, Jiang Xixi suddenly saw a name.
...
At the Lu residence.
Assistant Song said the ceremony would end at 7 p.m. and he would drive back around 10:30 p.m. Ning Anmiao glanced at the clock on the wall, her face flushed and her heart pounding.
The paper bag on the bed stood there forlornly, waiting for its owner to open it again.
Ning Anmiao took a deep breath to gather her courage. She took out the pieces of fabric from the bag, carefully arranged them, and then put them on.
She first picked the wine - red one. It was a one - piece, with more fabric, so it was relatively easier for her to accept.
There was a full - length mirror in the bedroom, and she could clearly see her current appearance in it.
The fabric covered a few important parts, revealing her incredibly white long legs all the way up to her thighs.
As for the upper body, she didn't even dare to make a big move. The thin wine - red gauze was almost useless, and her flat, toned abdomen was exposed from time to time.
She covered her eyes in embarrassment and didn't dare to look anymore.
Ning Anmiao, who had been influenced by traditional education and etiquette since childhood, never thought that one day she would wear something that could hardly be called "clothes", even though she was in the fashion design industry.
She heard that this kind of thing between couples was called "ambiance" or "romantic play".
She thought that once Lu Yan saw her like this, this outfit wouldn't stay on her for more than a minute.
He was a very gentlemanly and polite person, except at certain moments.
Since it was his birthday, she'd just give him a surprise.
...
After changing into the clothes, Ning Anmiao still felt a bit uncomfortable. So she put on a thin sweater and long pants over it to cover up the embarrassing parts. Only then did she feel a bit more comfortable.
At this time, she looked at the time again. It was already 8:30 p.m.
She wanted to call Lu Yan to ask, but was worried that he was driving and didn't want to distract him. So she put down the phone and decided to wait for him at home.
Just then, the phone in her hand suddenly vibrated.
She thought it was Lu Yan calling and answered without even looking: "Is it over? When will you be back?"
Her tone was coquettish, like a wife acting coquettishly with her husband.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then came Jiang Xixi's voice, urgent and flustered: "Miaomiao, I'm in the hospital. Come and save me, okay!"
"Lin Chuluo wants to kill my baby. He will make my baby..."
Lin Chuluo's cold voice came from outside the cubicle door: "Xixi, who are you calling?"
...
When Ning Anmiao rushed to the hospital in a hurry, Lin Chuluo was sitting with Jiang Xixi on the waiting chair. Jiang Xixi's face was still deathly pale, without a trace of blood.
"Be good. After the nurse brings the fetal - protecting medicine, we'll go home."
Jiang Xixi sat there in a daze, ignoring Lin Chuluo's solicitous words beside her. There was no light in her eyes.
She was like a marionette.
Ning Anmiao paused in her tracks and hesitated whether to go up.
Jiang Xixi's cry for help on the phone had worried her, so she quickly took a taxi here. But when she saw the two of them, she felt she might have been too impulsive.
Maybe Jiang Xixi was just experiencing normal child - birth fear.
When she was about to turn around and go back, Jiang Xixi suddenly looked up. The moment she saw Ning Anmiao's profile, her eyes lit up immediately, and she urgently shouted: "Miaomiao!"
Ning Anmiao stopped in her tracks.
Seeing Ning Anmiao appear, Lin Chuluo's eyes darkened, and he quickly locked onto her position.
Since she had been called out like this, Ning Anmiao had no choice but to walk up to them. She said awkwardly: "Good evening, you two."
"Long time no see." Lin Chuluo said expressionlessly, his eyes showing no emotion when looking at her: "Miaomiao, do you have something to talk to Xixi about?"
Ning Anmiao slowly turned her head and looked at the two of them, her eyes frequently falling on Jiang Xixi. "Xixi called me just now, so I came to take a look."
She omitted the specific content of the call.
Lin Chuluo smiled and squeezed Jiang Xixi's hand. His voice was gentle and calm: "I just went to ask the doctor about Xixi's condition. My phone in my pocket was on silent, so I didn't hear Xixi looking for me. Maybe she called you."
He was lying.
Jiang Xixi hadn't called him at all.
Seeing Ning Anmiao standing in front of her, Jiang Xixi panicked. She looked up and said, "Miaomiao, I..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Chuluo gave her a sidelong glance.
Jiang Xixi immediately dared not say another word.
Ning Anmiao was very perceptive. She immediately noticed Jiang Xixi's hesitation to speak and her fear of Lin Chuluo beside her.
She was suspicious but didn't ask.
"Why are you two in the hospital so late at night? Is there something wrong with the baby?" Ning Anmiao lowered her eyes and looked at Jiang Xixi's abdomen.
Pregnant women should be resting at this time.
But looking at Jiang Xixi, she was haggard and thin, looking like a different person. It seemed that her condition was not right.
Ning Anmiao was a bit worried.
"Yes, Xixi just said she felt a bit uncomfortable in her stomach. I was worried that something might suddenly happen to her, so I rushed her here to have a check - up right away."
Lin Chuluo lied without batting an eyelid: "Thank you for your concern, Miaomiao. Xixi and I are going home to rest now. You should go back quickly too."