The elevator carried her straight down to the first floor. She hurriedly wiped the tears from her face, wrapping her scarf carelessly around her neck, half-concealing her features.
Without feeling anything at all, she strode out of the lobby.
When Ye Chizhi spun and ran off, Fu Zhiyue was seized by a surge of rage.
He turned and slammed the documents on the table. The atmosphere in the office chilled instantly—even Vivian Belle felt a trace of fear.
Fu Zhiyue shot Vivian Belle a venomous glare, his expression icy. Despite the heater running, the whole office seemed to turn frigid.
He pressed his tongue to his back teeth and let out a cold snort. "Get out. Don’t let me see you in here again."
Those words were meant for both Vivian Belle and Henry Hart.
Finished, he strode out the door.
Henry Hart took a steadying breath—only he knew how truly furious the boss was. The last time he'd lost his temper like this was two years ago. This…
He glanced at Vivian Belle and made a polite gesture toward the door. "Miss Bai, you heard President Foster. Please see yourself out."
Vivian Belle glared at him through gritted teeth, unwillingly leaving the office.
…
On the winter streets, the wind howled, and the cold seemed to pierce right through the skin.
Ye Chizhi's eyes were red and swollen. She didn’t even know where she was going.
She only knew she had to walk faster, get farther away—from this place, from Fu Zhiyue.
The wind bit at her, but she couldn’t feel it. It was as if the whole world was spinning.
She felt sick to her stomach. Did Fu Zhiyue not know she slept in that room? Or did he simply not care?
He was the one who insisted they shouldn’t divorce yet.
He was the one who promised never to embarrass her again.
Yet, even at the office, he was with Vivian Belle.
So when he didn’t come home, was he lying in the very bed she'd just slept in—with Vivian Belle?
She’d foolishly convinced herself he was just too busy.
Maybe they even laughed at her, the fool.
Thinking about how she just lay there moments ago, Ye Chizhi shut her eyes in pain.
A wave of nausea roiled her stomach. She leaned over a trash can at the roadside, dry-heaving until everything she’d eaten at lunch was gone.
She couldn’t walk any farther; everything hurt—her body, her heart.
She had a vague sense that someone had helped her to a bench at the side of the street. Ye Chizhi didn’t react, simply hugging her knees and curling up.
All sounds seemed distant, muffled as if through fog, almost unintelligible.
These days were unbearable; she felt as though she couldn’t hold on anymore.
How much longer until the New Year? If only she could stop loving Fu Zhiyue.
Her heart felt hollow inside, letting the cold wind sweep through at will…
Fu Zhiyue came down the elevator. His face was so dark that no one in the lobby dared meet his gaze. The plaza in front of the company building was deserted—Ye Chizhi was nowhere in sight.
After a moment’s thought, he had his car brought around and slowly followed the road.
He rolled down the window, letting the icy wind lash his face. One hand gripped the steering wheel, the other propped against his temple. His expression was frosty.
Her body felt heavy and cold. As Ye Chizhi struggled to her feet from the bench, the world tilted and spun, and she collapsed to the ground.
Passersby quickly gathered, a wave of confusion and concern passing through the crowd. An older woman, seeing such a beautiful girl faint by the roadside, rushed to call 120 for an ambulance.
The ambulance arrived swiftly. The crowd saw the unconscious girl safely on board, only relaxing once the vehicle drove away.
By the time Fu Zhiyue’s car turned the corner, he only saw a cluster of people lingering by the roadside. Not spotting Ye Chizhi, he simply drove off.
He figured Chizhi must have gone home first; he could guess what she was thinking.
Vivian Belle had never set foot in his lounge before—if his staff hadn't all gone to a meeting, she wouldn’t have sneaked in today.
He pressed at his brow, an irritable mess.
In the end, he decided not to return to the office and headed home directly.
*
In the hospital ward, the girl lay beneath a white blanket. She looked as delicate and fragile as fine crystal, the air heavy with the scent of disinfectant.
Her eyelids fluttered open. Ye Chizhi slowly regained consciousness, her head still swimming, her body weak.
She glanced down. An IV was attached to her hand; only a little remained in the drip bag.
On the neighboring bed sat a girl with a slightly rounded belly—clearly pregnant. She turned just then and caught Ye Chizhi’s gaze.
She smiled warmly, adorable dimples appearing on her cheeks. "Hi, I’m Luoluo."
Ye Chizhi tried to sit up, managing a weak smile. "Hello, I’m Ye Chizhi."
"Not feeling well, right? That’s pregnancy for you; it’s normal to feel dizzy at first. Don’t worry, though—the doctor already came by and said you’re fine."
Pregnant?
Ye Chizhi was momentarily stunned. Was this girl saying... she was pregnant?
Perhaps noticing her shock, Luoluo looked a bit uneasy. "Sorry—I overheard because you came in alone. The doctor told me to keep an eye on you."
Ye Chizhi shook her head, trembling slightly. She asked in a barely audible voice, "The doctor said… I’m pregnant?"
Disbelief washed over her pale face as her hand instinctively pressed to her stomach. She’d never expected to learn of her pregnancy like this.
A surge of joy overflowed in her chest, mingling with grief. Ye Chizhi’s eyes grew moist.
Luoluo quickly realized the truth. Clearly, this delicate, doll-like girl hadn’t known she was pregnant.
She grinned, speaking cheerfully, "That’s right. The doctor said you’re five weeks along. I’ll ring for him since he asked to see you when you woke up."
Ye Chizhi watched as Luoluo supported her own belly. She wanted to refuse, but looking down at the IV in her hand, she could only whisper her thanks.
"No problem—my husband’s just gone downstairs to buy something. Otherwise, I’d have him help too."
Luoluo winked playfully, making a funny face.
Ye Chizhi couldn’t help feeling envy at the sight of Luoluo’s happiness. Her husband must treat her very well.
The doctor arrived soon after—a young man in glasses, polite and gentle.
He stopped at the side of Ye Chizhi's bed, wearing a kind smile. "Ye Chizhi, is it? Has your family come yet?"
Ye Chizhi shook her head, fibbing smoothly, "He’s busy at work today, can't come."
The doctor nodded, glancing at her chart. "Miss Ye, you’re about four and a half weeks pregnant. Other than dizziness, have you experienced any other symptoms today?"
Even though Luoluo had already explained, hearing it from the doctor himself reassured Ye Chizhi.
"Dizzy, weak all over, and I threw up," she replied softly, obediently answering the doctor’s questions, worried something might be wrong.
"That’s normal. Be especially careful during the first three months. Try not to get too emotional. In two weeks, you can come in for an ultrasound—you’ll be able to see your baby then."
Ye Chizhi’s hand stayed protectively over her lower abdomen. She remembered all she’d been through recently—being kidnapped, falling while skiing—a chill ran through her, fear gripping her heart.
"Doctor, I… I went skiing last week and fell several times. Is that going to be a problem?"
He shook his head with a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry; your checkup showed the baby is perfectly fine. But you need to take better care of yourself. Your body is a little frail, and your test results are all on the low side. Be sure to eat and rest well—especially while you’re not suffering morning sickness yet. Otherwise, you could end up with low blood sugar later, which can be dangerous."
Ye Chizhi made a mental note of everything he said. As long as her baby was okay, she would eat more and take good care of herself.
"So… can I go home after this?"
The doctor frowned slightly. "You should be fine. Once your IV is finished, ask the nurse to remove the needle and you can go home."
Ye Chizhi let out a sigh of relief. She and Fu Zhiyue were about to divorce—this child…
She still hadn’t decided whether or not to tell Fu Zhiyue. They were going their separate ways, and Fu Zhiyue was about to marry Vivian Belle.
A child would only complicate things between him and Vivian Belle.
Her heart ached, but she comforted herself: it would be okay. Even after the divorce, she could raise this baby on her own.
Her paintings were already selling well—she’d manage.
The doctor gave her a final run-down of things to watch for, then left the room.
Luoluo noticed the sadness on Ye Chizhi’s face and guessed she must be worrying about the child.
She smiled encouragingly. "It’s nothing. Doctors just like to make things sound scary. As long as you take care of yourself, everything will be fine."
Ye Chizhi felt her kindness and smiled back. "Thank you. I’m just… so happy."
"Mm! Congratulations—you’re going to be a mom soon."
"Thank you, you too."
Luoluo returned to her bed just as her husband came back into the ward. The two of them chatted and laughed together.
Watching their happiness made Ye Chizhi quietly envious.
How she wished the first person she shared her news with could be Fu Zhiyue…
If only Fu Zhiyue liked children too, and they could await their baby's arrival together—how wonderful that would be.
Instead, she couldn’t even dare let Fu Zhiyue know about the baby.
Ye Chizhi slowly lay back on the bed, gently stroking her belly.
Thank you, baby. Mommy will love you with all her heart.