Shi Qianqian had just entered the fourth month of her pregnancy, so the bulge in her tummy was not that obvious. When she arrived, Xin Qing was hugging the trash can and retching into it.
"I've been pregnant twice and yet I've never experienced such terrible sickness," Shi Qianqian said. Shi Qianqian was currently seated on the couch while munching on the tropical fruits that Ying Qingcang had air-shipped into the country for Xin Qing. Shi Qianqian sighed. "Yours is definitely a son. And I bet he'll be a naughty one," she remarked.
Xin Qing looked at up her friend tiredly. "You didn't seem to have experienced this kind of torture when you had your son back then!"
"My son is obedient while yours must have taken after his father," Shi Qianqian said, laughing. "Hey, where's Ah Sha?"
"Oh, she's gone to her advertisement filming!"
Shi Qianqian frowned. "But my son has already returned? Isn't that the ad for Caesar Academy?"
"Ah Sha has to do more than one ad. She's got at least a few on her hands!" Xin Qing sighed. "I really don't understand why she's so willing to participate in those filmings. They have all been approved by Ying Qingcang, though. Otherwise, my mind wouldn't be at ease."
"Come on, I'm sure there's nothing for you to worry about since Xunxun's there!" said Shi Qianqian in a tone of envy. "Ah Sha is practically being raised by Xunxun at this point. Even as her mother, there's nothing for you to worry about." Then, Shi Qianqian took out a large mason jar from a plastic bag and placed it on the table.
"What's this?" Xin Qing placed down the trash can and picked up the jar.
Shi Qianqian tapped the glass surface of the jar. "Your sister asked me to give it to you!"
"Yudie?" Xin Qing said, momentarily dazed. "Didn't she follow Huang Jianbin back to his hometown?"
Something major happened back at Huang Jianbin's hometown. Their entire family had gone back. Xin Yudie had given Xin Qing a call before they left. Apparently, they would not be returning until the second half of the year!
Shi Qianqian opened the jar. "Her nanny gave it to me," said Shi Qianqian. "Apparently, it's a remedy for morning sickness. You'll stop throwing up after having it."
"Really?" Xin Qing's eyes sparkled.
Shi Qianqian shrugged. "I never tried it. She was the one who claimed that it works. Why don't you try it out? I mean, what do you have to lose anyway? At least it's better than starving to death."
That night, during dinner, Ying Qingcang saw Xin Qing carrying a mason jar around. Frowning, he asked her: "What's in the jar? Is it edible?"
"Dried plums," Xin Qing said, narrowing her eyes. "Yudie made it herself. It's very effective, you know. I had chicken soup this afternoon, and I didn't throw up!"
Ying Qingcang's expression instantly relaxed. "It's good that she can now eat something," he thought.
"Still, you shouldn't be overeating. Beware of stomachaches!"
Xin Qing leaned herself against his shoulder and picked up a piece of dried plum. "Try some?"
"Nope," Ying Qingcang declined without hesitation. The sourness of the plums brought tingles to his root canals even from far away. Ying Qingcang felt the acid pooling in his stomach as he watched Xin Qing casually bite into a piece.
Xin Qing could start having normal meals again all thanks to the dried plums. By having a few pieces of plums per day, Xin Qing's appetite returned, and she would not throw up no matter what she ate. Ying Qingcang's mind could finally be at ease. Then again, it did not take long for him to start fretting again.
Holding Xin Qing in his arms to sleep every night was akin to physical torture. Xin Qing did ask him to sleep on the couch, though he refused. He was practically dry humping Xin Qing's body every night, which led to all kinds of kissing and stroking. Then he ended up having to take a cold shower after all his shenanigans.
"Why are you wearing your pyjamas?" Apparently, His Lordship Ying was displeased again tonight.
Xin Qing rolled her eyes at him. "Weren't you complaining about how much you've been suffering?"
"Sleeping with clothes on is a form of suffering," Ying Qingcang said, peeling off the blanket. Then, in a few moves, he got rid of her pyjamas and pulled her into his arms, buck naked. "I can't touch you right now since you're pregnant. If you sleep with clothes on, I won't even get to enjoy the benefits of hugging you to sleep."
Xin Qing opened her mouth and bit down on his chest. "Oh, stop saying such childish things! How old are you anwyay?"
Ying Qingcang's hands slid up to her breasts and began stroking. "According to the books, frequent massages during pregnancy will aid in lactation later on," he said as his hands continued massaging her breasts. In the end, he figured he might as well bring his lips into play too. His ministrations had awakened a tingling desire inside her. Heat pooled at her lower belly.
"Mm... stop it," she said, pushing Ying Qingcang away. "This is torture. Plus, aren't you suffering as well?"
At the sight of her tiny, blushing face, Ying Qingcang felt his member hardened even further. He drew Xin Qing into his arms and held her close, so much so that there was not a single gap separating their skin. "Just hold on for one more month, okay? We'll be able to have sex again after the third month. By then, I'll make you feel good!"
Xin Qing scowled and turned away from him. "What an obstinate man," she thought. "I'm pretty sure he's the one who's craving it..."
Young Master Shen walked into Ying Qingcang's office. "Tsk, tsk," he said, tossing a folder to Ying Qingcang. "Can't believe such a loyal woman exists in this world!"
"What's this?" Ying Qingcang opened the folder and gave its contents two glances. "Ke Shibiao?" Ying Qingcang said, frowning. "The guy who had wanted to replace the Shen family last time?"
Young Master Shen nodded. "Xu Li is his woman."
Admittedly, Ke Shibiao was quite a kind man. When he was younger, he saved Xu Li from the hands of a gangster. Xu Li had been following him around ever since. For some unknown reason, Ke Shibiao had always been very protective of Xu Li; all his interactions with Xu Li had been done privately, so much so that even his henchmen knew nothing about their relationship. All these years, Xu Li had willingly stayed on as his underground mistress. This proved that Ke Shibiao's love for her was real. Otherwise, he would not have bothered keeping her hidden away. Nobody even knew of Xu Li's existence until after Ke Shibiao's death.
"Loyal to the point of stupidity!" Young Master Shen smirked. "Even in death, Ke Shibiao had tried to protect her. And yet now she's digging her own grave."
Ying Qingcang tossed the folder back to him. "An avenging woman is always a force to be reckoned with. I'd watch my six if I were you!"
"She's been lingering around in my territory these days. Well, that's fine by me! I'm pretty tired of this shit anyway," Young Master Shen said in a gleeful tone, stroking his chin. "I'll play along in her little act for a while longer. Besides, I can take this opportunity to spark a little bit of jealousy in my little tiger!"
Ying Qingcang flicked a glance at him. "Hmph, watch out before you take things too far."
Naturally, Young Master Shen was confident when dealing with such matters. To him, dealing with women was a piece of cake. As a matter of fact, he would have dealt with Xu Li already if it were not for his desire to make Zhang Mi jealous. Tonight, he returned to the bar again. Xu Li was delighted to see him there.
"Mr. Shen!" she said, walking over with a glass of alcohol. "What a busy man you are," she remarked. "You rarely show up in the places you run!"
"Well, what can I say. I'm a married man. I got to stay at home to accompany my wife!" Young Master Shen gave a wave of his hand and had someone bring another bottle of red wine to their table. Then, he personally poured out the wine for Xu Li. "What a rare occurrence that we run into each other today. So, tonight's drinks are on me!"
Xu Li pursed her lips and smiled, the twinkle in her eyes so dense that it could start dripping any second. "Oh, no, this isn't really a chance meeting," she said. "I've been coming here a few times already. Too bad you're only here today."
"Oh!" The corners of Young Master Shen's lips lifted. "So the reason Miss Xu comes here is..."
"Oh, come on. I'm here looking for some fun, what else!" Xu Li lowered her head, and then glanced up at Young Master Shen through her eyelashes. The way she was acting was nothing short of a coy lady. "I mean, you're the only one I know here. I'll feel more secure if you're here!"
Young Master Shen poured another glass for her. "Well, here's to security!"
Around midnight, the men and women began to clear away from the bar. Among them were Young Master Shen and Xu Li.
"Go to this place!" Young Master Shen handed Xu Li a card with a hotel's address printed on it. He was already drunk, so he sat on the passenger's seat and allowed Xu Li to drive.
Xu Li gave a light nod, saying nothing. At the hotel, she helped Young Master Shen into the room. Then, she went into the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, she saw Young Master Shen already naked beneath the covers. She walked over and leaned herself against him. Then, she took out her phone and snapped a few pictures of them. After that, she crawled under the covers. Before she could move, the man rolled over and pressed her down on the bed. Soon, the entire room was filled with pants and high-pitched, feminine moans.
After some unknown amount of time, the man on top of her body finally released her. Xu Li snuggled into the man's chest and ran her fingers through her own hair. Just when she was about to open her mouth to speak, the door burst open in a loud bang. Zhang Mi walked into the room from outside.
"Ah!" Xu Li screamed, burrowing herself deeper into the man's chest. In a trembling voice, Xu Li began shouting: "I'm sorry! Zhang Mi, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have been drinking with Mr. Shen. Otherwise, we... we wouldn't have..." Xu Li covered her face with her palms and burst into tears.
Zhang Mi chuckled. "Oh, it's alright," she said. "I don't mind at all!"
"Zhang Mi!" Xu Li yelled, raising her head. That was when she noticed another person walking in from behind Zhang Mi. Her eyes went wide with disbelief. "How's that even... You?"
Young Master Shen wrapped an arm around Zhang Mi's shoulder and waved at Xu Li. "Hi!" he said. "How about it? My henchman is pretty awesome in bed, isn't he?"
Xu Li's head turned back around abruptly. That was when she noticed that she was lying in the arms of a stranger. The man was smiling at her lecherously, even reaching out his hand to pinch her breast. "You didn't seem like the type, but dang, you're wild. You really made me feel good!"
The man lit a cigarette slowly. Trembles coursed through Xu Li's entire body as she covered herself with the blanket and leaped off the bed. "You guys knew from the start, didn't you?" she asked.
"I wouldn't say from the start," Zhang Mi said, shrugging. "At least I didn't know about your revenge plot when you befriended me at the beginning."
Xu Li drew in a deep breath. "How did you guys pull it off?" she asked. "I could've sworn that I was having sex with you." Xu Li stared right at Young Master Shen. Her eyes no longer held adoration and infatuation, but deep, unbridled hatred instead.
"It's very simple!" Young Master Shen walked towards the nightstand and picked up the gas lamp on top. "There was a psychedelic incense inside this lamp. You're only alert now because it's been entirely burnt off." Young Master Shen laughed. "Look, I'll give you a choice. Do you want me to take you back to the ancestral shrine and have you dealt with according to the normal rules? Or do you prefer to have me deal with you right now?"
"You're a murderer!" Xu Li cried out defiantly. "You're the one who killed Shibiao. You killed him!"
Zhang Mi snorted coldly. "Are you a fool? Ke Shibiao was a member of the underworld. How many people do you think he had killed? If you're looking for revenge, then what about those who had died by his hands? Who should they turn to for their revenge?"
"Even my wife, someone who isn't involved in the underworld, could understand a simple concept like this. You've been together with Ke Shibiao for so long, and yet you fail to see it?" Young Master Shen gave Xu Li a mocking glance. "Can't believe you're foolish enough to come seeking for revenge. Haha! I'm a very merciful man, so I'll let you choose the manner of your death. You need to hurry up and stop dallying. My wife still has to go home to sleep!"
Zhang Mi gave him the stink-eye. "What the hell is the matter with this douchebag, calling me his wife here and there..."
All of a sudden, a sinister smile formed on Xu Li's pale face. Slowly, she picked up her clothes from the floor. Then, she grabbed her handbag and sat down on the couch. "Hahaha! Wait for me, Shibiao! I'm coming to you soon!" A change went across her face the moment those words left her mouth. An evil glint shone in her eyes, the sight of which made Young Master Shen's blood run cold. That was when he saw Xu Li producing a gun from her handbag. Xu Li laughed hysterically. "Zhang Mi," she said, "I'll kill you! That way, Young Master Shen can have a taste of what it feels like to lose a lover!"