Zhong Zhuohua pushed him away again, not playing coy—she genuinely didn’t want to see him.
If it weren’t for the child, she wouldn’t have contacted him again.
What she hated most was a man’s false affection; it was obvious he still clung to his old love, yet he insisted on pretending to be deeply devoted to her.
If he had openly admitted that he couldn’t let go of Yang Jiayuan and still liked her, maybe she wouldn’t have broken up with him so decisively.
The more he avoided the topic, the more he cared about that person.
Indeed, how could he not care?
Causing trouble with one’s family for the person they love—Hong Kong Island had plenty of such playboys, but none had ever missed their own engagement banquet before.
No matter how much one quarreled with their parents, it was still a family matter.
Jiang Jingyuan’s absence from the engagement banquet was a direct offense to the noble family.
His family’s interests were paramount, yet he blatantly ignored them.
Even Lu Jianbo, a notorious playboy, despite his wild antics, knew when it mattered to prioritize family interests.
That showed just how deeply Jiang Jingyuan loved that person.
And yet, they had only broken up a short while ago, and he said he no longer loved her.
He claimed “not to love” but refused to speak of it.
“Jiang Jingyuan, I only asked you for help, not to get back together with you. Since you’re the child’s father, I’ll let you see the child occasionally, but don’t expect anything else.”
Jiang Jingyuan didn’t dare forcibly hold her again, fearing she might have a miscarriage.
He sat down at the other end of the windowsill. “Fine, no reconciliation. Then how about we get married?”
Zhong Zhuohua let out a bitter smile.
“Are you determined to compete with Yang Jiayuan? To prove that it’s her loss for not turning back? She gets married, so you must get married right away. She has a child, so you also need to have a child immediately—”
She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, then silently stared at him for a long while.
Jiang Jingyuan felt uneasy under her gaze. “What’s wrong?”
Zhong Zhuohua asked, “Did you intentionally poke a hole in the condom?”
Jiang Jingyuan was at a loss for words. “Would I really do that?”
“Of course you would. You could find someone smart, find someone as pretty as me, but someone as smart and pretty as me? That’s hard to find.”
Jiang Jingyuan admitted it—when it came to smart and pretty, every word she said was true.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been unable to look away the first time he saw her.
It wasn’t just superficial beauty; she was genuinely intelligent, skipping grades to enter a top medical school.
But medicine wasn’t what she wanted to study—her family had chosen that path for her.
That was why she later dropped out of school and resolutely returned to Hong Kong Island to enter the entertainment industry.
“Zhong Zhuohua, believe it or not, I haven’t stooped to that level.”
The condom was too thin; when it broke, what else could he do?
Zhong Zhuohua felt increasingly suspicious.
“Those few days when your affairs with your first love were exposed—afraid I’d break up with you, so you thought of this trick!”
“Otherwise, why would the condom break at that time? Whether it broke or not, who really knows? You only have your own word!”
Jiang Jingyuan was speechless, never feeling so powerless before.
“Say whatever you want. I’m the one afraid you’d leave, so I wanted to tie you down with the child. Is that better?”
Zhong Zhuohua considered seriously for a long time.
“If you’re scheming against me first, don’t blame me then. Transfer all your valuable overseas assets into my name. If you ever go back on your word, I and the child will mean nothing to you.”
“What use is a certificate of marriage? When he turns his back and denies everything, trying to get money from him will be harder than climbing to the sky.”
“But as long as you agree,” Jiang Jingyuan said, “I won’t change my mind about having the child.”
He explained again, “Going back to an ex.”
Zhong Zhuohua said, “It’s not that you don’t want to go back, it’s that Yang Jiayuan never gave you the chance. If one day she’s unhappy with her life now and wants to reconcile, I don’t believe you’d remain indifferent.”
She paused for two seconds.
Then said, “You can’t be indifferent.”
Zhong Zhuohua was self-aware, so she didn’t want to marry him.
She didn’t want to get married only to separate later and become a laughingstock.
Marriage wasn’t as dependable as money.
She gave him a deadline: “Transfer everything to my name within a month.”
Jiang Jingyuan was too lazy to argue about “going back to an ex.”
No matter what he said now, she was convinced he had given up because of Yang Jiayuan.
“Some asset transfers are complicated. Two months at most. I’m definitely giving you more than you expect.”
He had only one request: “Don’t be angry, and keep the baby happy inside your belly.”
Zhong Zhuohua said, “I’ll only be happy if there’s money.” @Infinite good reads, all on Jinjiang Literature City
Jiang Jingyuan got up, handing her something. “Let’s eat first. The servants said you haven’t had breakfast.”
Zhong Zhuohua ignored his outstretched hand. “That kind of stuff makes me sick, I don’t want to eat.”
“Sick of it,” obviously a veiled insult.
Jiang Jingyuan ignored it, trying all means to coax her to eat. “Eat well every day from now on, and I’ll transfer some money to your account.”
Zhong Zhuohua looked up at him but still didn’t move.
Jiang Jingyuan called Secretary Li right in front of her, telling him to transfer some money to Zhong Zhuohua’s bank account immediately.
After hanging up, he said, “I’ll pay you for a month first.”
Only then did Zhong Zhuohua get up, taking a shirt from the wardrobe to wear over her nightgown.
Jiang Jingyuan asked with concern, “Cold?”
Zhong Zhuohua slowly buttoned the shirt. “Who meets an ex wearing a nightgown?”
Jiang Jingyuan didn’t argue—now the only rule living with her was to keep her happy.
The servants prepared five or six dishes she liked, but she only glanced once and felt full.
Jiang Jingyuan didn’t force her to eat much; just two bites would do.
He fed her, unwilling to give up, asking again, “You really don’t want to marry me?”
Without hesitation, Zhong Zhuohua said, “No.”
She chewed listlessly on her favorite dishes.
She was just pregnant; how would she get through the days ahead?
Jiang Jingyuan pleaded, “Isn’t it better to give the child a complete family?”
Zhong Zhuohua retorted, “What’s your idea of a complete family? Getting a marriage certificate? Transferring assets to me, then regretting it, and quickly claiming it’s marital property?”
Jiang Jingyuan said, “I’ll transfer them to you first—they’re all premarital assets. Transfer first, then register the marriage, okay?”
With enough money to secure her and the child’s future, who would still want to marry?
His slight infatuation with her wouldn’t last long.
Besides, the family matter was hard to get past, and who knew how many grievances she’d have to endure?
If he truly loved her deeply, like he loved his first love, if she were indispensable to him, she would have married him regardless of his parents’ difficulties.
But given their current relationship, there was no need to trouble herself.
Zhong Zhuohua rejected him again. “I said I don’t want to marry you. A family without love is incomplete, not a family without a marriage certificate.”
She forced down three bites and put down her chopsticks, returning to the bedroom.
Jiang Jingyuan didn’t push her to get the certificate for now—he would wait for her to come to terms on her own.
Not long after, Zhong Zhuohua came out wearing a long dress, holding a bag.
Jiang Jingyuan asked, “Don’t you have no work today?”
Zhong Zhuohua said, “Going out to breathe fresh air, and also to check the bank if the money’s been transferred.”
Jiang Jingyuan chuckled helplessly. “I said it’s been transferred. Can I lie?”
Zhong Zhuohua just needed an excuse to leave and avoid seeing him.
Thinking about these past few months with him, her heart ached for the other person he had on his mind.
At home, she had to face him; outside, he couldn’t follow—out of sight, out of mind.
Downstairs, the nanny’s car was waiting, and the manager was there too.
Zhong Zhuohua paused opening the door. “Why didn’t you go back? Have you eaten lunch?”
“Angry enough to be full—who cares about eating!” The manager couldn’t help cursing.
Zhong Zhuohua got in and pointed upstairs. “Jiang Jingyuan is still eating. You can go up and grab something.”
The manager waved him off and went straight to the point. “Is the deal done?”
“Yeah. After the child is born, he’ll give me overseas assets plus some cash.”
“Is that all?”
“What do you mean ‘is that all’? Don’t be so arrogant! Most of his prime overseas assets will be mine—I could never earn that much in another lifetime.”
The manager pressed his temples. “What about marriage? Did you discuss that? Or is he unwilling?”
Zhong Zhuohua told the driver to cruise around nearby and find another bank before answering, “What do I need marriage for? A man with his fortune—what guarantee does marriage give me?”
“That he won’t have someone else on the side or other children? Or that he won’t divorce?”
Since returning to Hong Kong Island these years, she had seen too many divorce battles among wealthy families, and the ones who always suffered were the women.
“Jiang Jingyuan’s wealth wasn’t earned through hard work with me. If we divorce, how could I get half? All his wealth is premarital—who can guarantee that after divorce, I’d get more than I have now?”
“When things get nasty, there’s no sentiment. If he has a new love, would he still be willing to give me assets?”
“Better to get as much as possible now while he still feels some guilt and desire for a child. Even if he finds someone else later, at least I can ensure my child lives well.”
“Besides, if he secretly registers the marriage with me but ends up unable to enter his family and causing a city-wide scandal, what would I have gained?”
The manager was left speechless.
“I never intended to use the child to trade for marriage. Didn’t you say the rich families have no shortage of children?” Zhong Zhuohua took an eye mask from her bag and put it on, leaning back in her seat.
“If my child is destined not to receive a father’s love, then I must ensure they have plenty of money.”
As for love, she would provide it.
She tilted her head toward the manager with a smile.
“Once Jiang Jingyuan’s overseas assets and money arrive, I’ll give you a house on Hong Kong Island and advance you thirty years’ worth of salary. We won’t have to scramble for jobs or bow to anyone’s face—we can just do what we love.”
Wearing the eye mask, it was hard to tell what emotions filled her eyes.
The manager sniffled but still smiled. “Then let’s get rich together with Sister Zhong.”
Zhong Zhuohua wanted to nap in the car but suffered severe morning sickness and couldn’t sleep for even half a minute.
Her symptoms lasted until four months before gradually easing, during which she lost three pounds.
At the end of May, Jiang Jingyuan returned to Beicheng for a visit.
Since breaking up with Yang Jiayuan, he had gone to Hong Kong Island and never come back, not even for Lunar New Year.
Coming out of the airport, he went straight to the old Lao Zhai.
In the courtyard, he met Zhou Yunlian carrying a child around.
Jiang Jingyuan signaled the driver to stop and rolled down the window, frowning. “How old is he that you’re still carrying him?”
Luckily, Zhou Yunlian was tall; otherwise, a three-and-a-half-year-old boy in his arms would be ridiculous.
Zhou Yunlian gestured for Jiang Jingyuan to speak quietly. “My son finally fell asleep.”
Jiang Jingyuan joked, “I thought you were just taking him for a stroll, but you’re really trying to lull him to sleep.”
Zhou Yunlian explained, “Just returned from abroad, jet lag’s messed him up. He couldn’t sleep all morning.”
Jiang Jingyuan nodded toward the center garden of the compound. “Let him run around the garden twenty laps and see if he can sleep.”
Zhou Yunlian said, “No point talking further.”
Thinking of Jiang Jingyuan’s recent heartbreak and single status, he didn’t press the issue.
“Yang Jiayuan had a daughter, just turned one month old. People are all talking, wondering if it’s yours.”
Zhou Yunlian only relayed the rumors circulating in their circle. “They say Yang Jiayuan’s marriage was just a smoke screen. That university lecturer isn’t her husband—just a cover to have a child.”
“I don’t know if he’s her husband. But if the child really is mine, do you think I’d just ignore it?”
No one outside knew exactly when he and Yang Jiayuan broke up, but he himself was very clear whether the child was his.
Back home, his father asked more or less the same question.
Since everyone was gossiping, the father couldn’t be kept in the dark.
“You didn’t come home for Lunar New Year, Yang Jiayuan had a child, and now you’re back. You better figure out if it’s yours!”
Jiang Jingyuan said, “I know whether it’s mine better than anyone.”
His father snorted coldly, clearly unconvinced. “You’ve caused such a stir in Hong Kong Island lately, hanging out every day with Lu Jianbo. Which day doesn’t the tabloids report it?”
His son had been relatively low-profile before; something was off now.
“Jiang Jingyuan, be honest with me. Did you and Yang Jiayuan put on a show together?”
Jiang Jingyuan was baffled. “What show?”
His father said, “You pretended to break up, you went to Hong Kong Island to create a smokescreen, so I’d lower my guard and think it’s really over.”
“Meanwhile, Yang Jiayuan had the child in Beicheng, cooked up the facts, forcing me to agree to your marriage!”
“…Dad, you really should be a screenwriter!”
Jiang Jingyuan lifted his cup but put it down again. “If I really want to get married and have children, do I need your approval?”
“If I just want your recognition, would I run to Hong Kong Island and have scandals with other women while my partner is giving birth? If so, I’m a failure as a man and unworthy of being a father.”
His father sighed with relief.
“Better if it’s not yours.”
“Since Yang Jiayuan has her own life and a child now, bridges should be burned and roads separated. You should have your own plans.”
“I do,” Jiang Jingyuan said bluntly. “I plan to marry within a year or two and try to be a good father.”
His father felt comforted, even his heart relaxed.
Yesterday he heard Yang Jiayuan had a daughter just a month old; he was so angry he didn’t sleep well all night.
He planned to settle down and spend less time with Lu Jianbo—work together but less private contact!
And that Zhou Yunlian, who was always traveling abroad watching matches, what kind of behavior was that?
Jiang Jingyuan didn’t bother responding.
His father asked, “Going back to Hong Kong Island?”
“Yes.”
His father knew his son’s project wasn’t finished yet. “How long can you stay home?”
Jiang Jingyuan didn’t answer, instead asking, “What do you want?”
His father was straightforward. “There’s a suitable girl around your age. When you have time…”
Jiang Jingyuan cut him off. “No time. Dad, forget about the match-making. I have someone I want to marry, and I’m about to be a father.”
His father was shocked. “Jiang Jingyuan, what do you mean? Explain clearly!”
Jiang Jingyuan said, “The person I want to marry is Zhong Zhuohua. The baby is due at the end of November.”