Outside the Ward
"The child is yours, isn't it?"
Ming Lin's voice cut cleanly through the silence.
Xie Niangli and Song Qingshen both turned toward Lu Zhenyu in shock.
No one had expected the question to be asked so directly.
Lu Zhenyu didn't answer.
He didn't deny it either.
That silence was confirmation enough.
Xie Niangli blinked. "…You're serious?"
Ming Lin studied him carefully. "What are you going to do?"
Lu Zhenyu's jaw tightened, his expression unreadable.
"That's why I'm going home to think about it," he finally replied.
Without sparing anyone another glance, he turned and strode toward his car. Lin Feng followed closely behind. The engine roared to life, and within seconds, the vehicle disappeared into the night.
Silence lingered in the air.
"This is explosive news! I never thought Second Brother would be entangled with this Miss Gu," Xie Niangli blurted out, unable to contain himself.
Ming Lin shot him an indifferent glance and began walking toward his own car. Song Qingshen followed without a word.
"No wonder Second Brother has been acting strange lately," Xie Niangli continued, hurrying after them. "I still can't believe he's been conquered. Conquered! I have to inform Eldest Brother—he's going to be just as stunned as we are!"
Neither of them responded.
"Hey! Wait up! I didn't come with my car!" Xie Niangli shouted helplessly as they ignored him and kept walking.
Inside the Hospital Ward
The faint scent of disinfectant filled the quiet room.
Gu Anran slowly opened her eyes. The ceiling lights felt too bright, her body unusually heavy.
"How are you feeling?" An Rulan's anxious voice sounded beside her. She quickly stood up and rushed to the bed. "Do you want me to call the doctor?"
Gu Anran swallowed, her throat dry. "I'm fine… I just feel a little weak," she replied softly.
An Rulan poured a glass of warm water and carefully helped her sit up. "You really scared me. Thankfully Mr. Lu and his friends were there to help us."
Gu Anran froze.
Before she lost consciousness, she had seen Lu Zhenyu standing in front of her. But she had assumed it was a hallucination—a desperate illusion her mind created in that vulnerable moment.
So it wasn't a dream.
He was really there.
"Gu Anran…" An Rulan sighed when she noticed her stunned expression. "How come you didn't notice the changes in your body?"
Gu Anran's brows furrowed in confusion. "What changes?"
An Rulan hesitated. She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I don't know how you'll take this… but the doctor said you're pregnant. The fetus is already one month old."
The glass in Gu Anran's hand trembled.
One month.
That time…
Her fingers instinctively gripped the blanket.
She had forgotten to take the contraceptives.
Her mind went blank, memories crashing into her all at once. The night. The mistake.
The silence that followed.
"Anran? Are you okay?" An Rulan asked, panic creeping into her voice when she saw how pale she had become. It was as if her soul had left her body.
Gu Anran stared ahead, her lips slightly parted but no words came out.
"Why don't you inform the man responsible?" An Rulan suggested gently, holding her cold hands. "You two should talk things out."
Gu Anran's voice trembled. "When the doctor gave the report… were you the only one present?"
An Rulan shook her head. "No. Mr. Lu and his friends were there too. Come to think of it… Mr. Lu and his assistant reacted quite strangely."
A bitter smile curved on Gu Anran's lips.
"Then there's no need to say anything," she whispered, closing her eyes. "He already knows."
An Rulan went silent for a few seconds, carefully piecing everything together.
"…Is it Mr. Lu?"
Gu Anran slowly nodded, exhaustion washing over her entire being.
The confirmation left An Rulan speechless.
"No wonder he said he would be paying you a visit," she muttered, trying to digest the shocking revelation.
She squeezed Gu Anran's hand reassuringly. "Don't overthink it. Mr. Lu seems like a responsible man. He won't abandon you… or the child."
But Gu Anran's heart felt unbearably heavy.
Responsible.
Was responsibility the same as willingness?
"Please… I want to be alone for a while," she said quietly.
An Rulan hesitated but understood. "I'll be outside if you need anything."
The door clicked shut.
The moment she was alone, the tears she had been suppressing broke free.
She pressed a hand against her flat stomach, her breathing uneven.
A child.
Everything would change now.
Her life, her future, her relationship with Lu Zhenyu.
She wasn't ready to be a mother—
especially not under these circumstances. It wasn't how she had imagined it. There was no love confession, no promise, no certainty.
Only silence and consequences.
She sobbed quietly, afraid that even the walls might hear her fear.
Eventually, exhaustion claimed her. With tear-stained cheeks and a heart full of turmoil, Gu Anran drifted back into a restless sleep.
The next morning, the corridor outside the hospital ward was quiet.
Lu Zhenyu arrived carrying a neatly packed breakfast. He had barely slept. Dark shadows lingered beneath his eyes, but his expression was composed as always.
He saw An Rulan standing outside the ward.
"Is she in?" he asked calmly.
"Yes, she is," An Rulan replied.
He was about to push the door open when An Rulan spoke again, her voice firm.
"Mr. Lu… she cried silently all night. I hope you will do the right thing."
Lu Zhenyu paused.
For a brief second, something flickered in his eyes — guilt, perhaps. Or resolve.
"You don't have to worry," he said steadily.
"I've already made my decision. Now the rest depends on her."
Without waiting for a response, he opened the door and stepped inside.
Inside the Ward
Gu Anran sat upright on the bed, staring blankly at the white ceiling. Her face was pale, her eyes swollen and red — clear evidence of a sleepless night.
The door closing softly drew her attention.
She stiffened the moment she saw him.
"How are you feeling?" Lu Zhenyu asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm fine now," she replied stiffly, turning her head toward the window, avoiding his gaze.
He placed the breakfast on the small table beside her bed.
"I brought breakfast. Eat it while it's still hot."
"I'm not hungry."
Her voice was flat, distant.
A faint crease appeared between his brows. He pulled a chair closer and sat down, his posture straight but tense.
"Gu Anran," he began, his tone lower now, more serious. "Let's talk. I know the child is mine."
Her fingers tightened around the bedsheet.
He saw it — the slight tremble in her shoulders, the way she forced herself to remain composed.
"Mr. Lu," she said slowly, finally turning to face him. Her eyes were cold, guarded.
"What exactly do you want to say?"
He held her gaze without retreating.