Although she had been rebuffed by her mother, Yin Yiyan was not one to give up easily. She kept thinking of ways to persuade her.
Strangely enough, her mother had always been firmly against it, but for some unknown reason, she suddenly said one day that they should sit down and talk things through.
As the saying goes, a daughter knows her mother best. Once her mother showed the slightest sign of wavering, there was a chance.
"I think this is a great opportunity. My mom isn't that conservative and feudal. Don't be stressed. I think this time..."
"Yeah, I got it." Gong Ming flexed his fingers, his voice gentle. "I'll pick you up the day after tomorrow. I'll prepare some gifts in advance."
"Why do we need gifts?"
Gong Ming quietly curled his lips and let out a soft chuckle. "When meeting my future mother - in - law, shouldn't I prepare gifts?"
Yin Yiyan: "..."
-
The meeting went smoothly. Although An Ruoqing still had a straight face, her attitude was much softer than before.
Although there was no definite answer, at least she had agreed to their relationship.
Yin Yiyan was overjoyed. She directly kissed An Ruoqing on the cheek and said happily, "Ms. An, you're so nice! You're the most beautiful lady in the world!"
An Ruoqing was used to her antics. "I'm only allowing you two to date, not to get married. Stop being so cheeky."
She looked up and fixed her eyes on Gong Ming, who was sitting upright across from her. Her voice paused. "Gong Chen, in the future..."
"Mom, his name is Gong Ming now." Yin Yiyan wrapped her arm around An Ruoqing's and said crisply, "He's changed his name. Don't you understand what that means?"
"Changing his name means saying goodbye to his past self and starting a new life as a new person."
Gong Ming had never told anyone about this, but Yin Yiyan understood.
A glint flashed in his eyes as he stared at her intently.
Yin Yiyan seemed carefree, but her thoughts were much more delicate than he had imagined.
"Alright, Gong Ming." An Ruoqing gave in to her daughter and changed her words. "If you're reasonable, you should know that your parents got what they deserved."
Gong Ming nodded.
He had always been aware that his parents had evil intentions and had done many shady things.
So, he had never thought of taking revenge.
As the saying goes, "Like father, like son." It was no wonder that outsiders thought Gong Ming would inherit his parents' ambitions and go astray.
Prejudice in people's hearts was like an insurmountable mountain.
"I saw that you really like Yanyan when you saved her last time." An Ruoqing sighed. "Since that's the case, I'll give you two a chance."
"Date first. If you ever bully Yanyan in the future..."
Before An Ruoqing could finish her sentence, Yin Yiyan immediately interrupted. Without even raising an eyebrow, she said fiercely, "If he bullies me, I'll punch him until he's hospitalized."
An Ruoqing: "..."
Gong Ming: "..."
She really had the strength to do it.
After the meal, Yin Yiyan first sent her mother off with a big smile and then got back into Gong Ming's car.
It was obvious that she was very happy. She kept chattering all the way.
Gong Ming liked listening to her rambling on. He slowed down the car and just listened.
By the time the car reached the downstairs of her apartment, she still hadn't stopped talking.
When she mentioned her studio, Gong Ming suddenly spoke up.
"Yanyan, if you need investment for your clothing brand, why don't you consider me?"
Yin Yiyan waved her hand without even thinking. "I don't want to rely on people close to me. Besides, it won't do you any good."
She always kept her personal and professional lives separate.
"How is it not beneficial?" Gong Ming retorted. "I invest the money, so naturally I should get a share of the profits."
Yin Yiyan lowered her eyes. "Well, although you put it that way... I still think it's not very appropriate."
She wanted to rely on herself.
"Do you really have to do everything on your own?" Gong Ming knew exactly what she was struggling with.
Gong Ming: "You want to find someone who has nothing to do with you so that everything can be clearly separated, right?"
Yin Yiyan: "…Yes."
She loved and hated boldly, so she always made a clear distinction in everything.
Gong Ming sat in the car, closing his eyes to rest. His thin lips parted slightly. "If that's the case, I can just send someone under me to invest in you. In the end, the ultimate beneficiary will still be me."
Yin Yiyan wanted to refute.
"Yanyan, let's be reasonable." He suddenly opened his eyes and for the first time spoke to her in a business - like tone. "We'll draw up an agreement and do everything according to the contract."
His voice was soft. "Even for brothers, we should settle accounts clearly. I'm no exception."
He placed his hands on the steering wheel. "I'm a businessman. If I invest, I have to talk about profits."
Gong Ming knew that this was exactly what Yin Yiyan wanted to hear.
"I'll think about it." Yin Yiyan was a bit shaken.
Since the last incident, she had become extremely cautious. She also realized what Gong Ming had said: she couldn't always get out of trouble perfectly.
Although she said she wanted to rely on herself, she always had to use her looks to earn a living, which was really not honorable.
Lu Yan had also mentioned investment, but Yin Yiyan was afraid that Miaomiao would be in a difficult position.
She thought things through carefully, but rarely cared about herself.
"I can't guarantee that I'll always be in front of you, but I can protect you in a reasonable way while still giving you freedom."
These words touched Yin Yiyan's heart.
"Then..." She opened her mouth, just about to say something, when suddenly she felt uncomfortable in her stomach. Her eyes suddenly turned cold. She opened the car door and vomited.
After vomiting, her face turned slightly pale. She got back into the car and leaned back on the seat.
Seeing this, Gong Ming carefully handed her a bottle of water.
"I've vomited several times this month. I don't know if I ate something bad." Yin Yiyan rinsed her mouth with water and casually complained.
This casual remark suddenly gave Gong Ming a thought.
His face turned a bit grim. "Yanyan, have you had your period this month?"
"Not yet. My periods are always irregular." As soon as Yin Yiyan finished speaking, she suddenly realized what he meant. Her face also tightened. "Oh no, it can't be..."
They had taken precautions every time. There was no way she could be pregnant.
The only time they didn't was the first time, but she had taken the emergency contraceptive pill that Gong Ming had brought.
"Could the pill have expired?" Yin Yiyan felt a sudden sense of unease. "Did you check the expiration date?"
"…No."
Who would think to check that?
Gong Ming had just turned off the car when he started the engine again. His eyes darkened. "Don't jump to conclusions. Let's go to the hospital for a check - up first."
By the time they got to the hospital, Yin Yiyan's face looked very strange.
Standing in front of the obstetrics and gynecology clinic, Gong Ming could feel that Yin Yiyan's hand was very cold. She must be scared.
Getting pregnant before marriage was not a good reputation.
Gong Ming tightened his grip on her hand. His voice was steady and calm. "I'll go in with you."