After Li Jiefu's funeral, Alice stayed with Ji An to help her sort out everything. Three months into her pregnancy, she decided to visit China to see her mum after she found a number in one of her dad's books, it seemed like he still kept an eye on her after their divorce. She planned to contact her once she arrived in Beijing.
Alice wanted to go with her but Ji An wanted to do it on her own, she promised Alice that she will be back as soon as possible to sort out uni issues and her dad's will. She has to make the most of the break the school has given her.
Ji An's belly wasn't big at all, she doesn't look pregnant. Unsure whether to tell her mother or how to tell her about her early pregnancy she will decide when she's in front of her depending on the situation.
Beijing Capital International Airport
Ji An took the piece of paper and went on a phone booth. She dialled the number and waited for someone to answer, after a few rings, her call was answered, "Gu Residence." person on the other end.
Unsure of what to say, she decided to speak casually and directly, "Hello. May I speak to Li Meiling?"
"Madam Gu Meiling?" The person on the other end wanted to confirm as she was looking for a Li, not Gu.
"Yes. I need to speak to her it's very important." Though she sounded calm, she stressed how important it is that she needed to speak to her.
"Please stay on the line, I will inform Madam. May I ask your name?" She sounded very polite and a nice person to talk to.
She didn't hesitate to give her name, "Li Ji An," if her mother still cares about her, she will talk to her. After a few minutes, Madam Gu picked up the phone, she didn't hide her happiness and excitedly asked her daughter how an where she is.
"I'm at the airport, I just arrived. Is it possible to see you?" Her voice wasn't as excited as her mother, she just wanted to see and talk to her and see how it will go or if she will take her in. Her mother gave the address of the Gu Family house to Ji An. After their short phone call, she went to the taxi queue and took a taxi to go straight to the address her mother gave her.
Gu Residence
As Ji An got out of the taxi, her mother was waiting for her outside the house wearing a big smile. After 5 years she finally gets to see her only daughter and she can now tell her that with her permission, her name can be changed to Gu as her husband allowed it and also looking forward to having her as family.
Madam Gu asked the servants to prepare a room for Ji An and asked them to prepare some food. After dealing with the servants, she turned her attention back to her daughter, "How are you? How is your dad? Where is your brother?" she couldn't contain herself and asked questions one after the other.
She looked at her mother and held her hand tightly with a sad look in her eyes, "Dad— he—" she couldn't finish what she was about to say as someone entered the living room and startled her like he was some kind of a gang leader.
"Who is our guest today mother?" Cheng Ze sarcastically interrupted them and walked in very rudely, his voice was mocking his stepmother. His actions made Ji An look at the person who barged in. The surprised on both of their faces when they saw each other are noticeable.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was astounded, his face hasn't recovered from the shock of seeing her in their house.
Ji An, however, was completely taken aback after hearing him called her mother the same way she does, "What did you call my mother?" with eyes constricted and her voice was confounded. "What are you doing here? This is her husband's house?" she was still bewildered.
"That's right! Her husband's house. I happened to be the only son of her husband. And you heard me right, I called her mother, because that's how a son should address his mother." he expressed behaving like a professor giving a lesson to his student. He continued on, "You cannot be her daughter because she is now my mother and I don't want a sister." he smirked at her, "Oh, and you are not welcome here. Who let you in? Go back to where you came from!" He moved closer to Ji An to drag her out.
Meiling stopped him from getting near her daughter by blocking him and standing in front of Ji An. Though she didn't say anything, she glared at him. Meiling was always patient towards him because she knew he was a good child, and she felt sorry for what happened to his mother, but her patience is not unlimited, especially if it involves her daughter.
Behind her mother's protection, she gently moved and faced him with a wistful face. "Why do you hate me?"
Cheng Ze stared at her face, he doesn't want to see her like that, but he has to push her away first before pulling her back in, "I don't like your mother. She was the reason my mother suffered." there was no warmth in his voice but he wasn't angry.
She walked closer to him, "But I didn't do anything to you." Her voice was gentle, full of warmth as she said those words.
"Are you sure about that?" he smirked and shook his head a few times, "Think carefully, you might remember something or—" he paused and walked a little closer to her, "Maybe it didn't mean anything to you." His eyes have a hint of pain and longing and totally forgot that his stepmother was still there.
Ji An noticed the hurt in his eyes, she faced her mother and asked her if she can have a moment with him alone, but Cheng Ze grabbed her hand and dragged her upstairs to his bedroom. Meiling couldn't react in their behaviour, she let it slide and sat down on the couch and waited for her daughter.
"Why did you bring me here?" she wriggled her hands from his hold, "You are too much! Let me go!" shouting at him as she tried to free herself. "You don't have to bring me here. We can talk in the study! I'm sure this house has one." Her feminine voice went loud as she got angry.
He let her go and scoffed at her, "Really!?" the expression on his face changed and he chuckled, "I'm too much?" his lips pressed, "You owe me an explanation!" his voice had calmed down and he walked away from her, looked outside the window, bit his lip and tried to contain his emotion before looking back at her, "Don't you think so?"
Ji An was confused, she wasn't sure what he wanted to hear from her, "Explanation?" she paused and stared at him before continuing with her eyebrows creased, "About?"
"Five years ago—" he paused and tilted his head a little, "You kissed me and you left just like that. Did it mean anything to you?" he walked close to where she is and continued with his soft gentle voice, "Because it did to me." his eyes were almost begging her to say yes.
Ji An held back her emotions, there is no use in telling him now. He won't accept her, she is 3 months pregnant for god sake. How will he take a child that is not blood-related to him? And they'll be siblings once she agreed with her mother. All she could do was lie to him and hide her true feelings towards him. "I was thirteen back then. I was too young and immature. I didn't know what I was doing. You took it seriously?" She delivered those words without flinching.
It made Cheng Ze furious, that was not what he wanted to hear, "Are you toying with me right now Li Ji An? Because if you are, I can tell you that I'm not. Are you telling me you didn't like me back then?" his voice was very angry. He felt rejected and not wanted by the woman he loves.
"NO!!! she exclaimed, "I never liked you Cheng Ze, you were like a brother to me and that kiss—" she paused as she recalled how good it was, but she cannot tell him that, "It didn't mean anything to me."
Cheng Ze couldn't move, he felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over him, the feeling of rejection was more immense than earlier. He stood there motionless until she moved to exit his room, he moved quickly and grabbed her hand almost slamming Ji An on the door and punched it missing her face.
With his raging eyes, he held Ji An's face and kissed her lips forcing his tongue in her mouth. She tried to push him away and scream for help, but he was so strong and his lips covered her mouth. He totally lost his cool after she rejected him, every day, his thoughts are full of her. Of what happened in that hotel room. Her rejection was totally unacceptable.
He let go of her lips and started to kiss her neck like a hungry beast. Both of her hands were held by him behind her back while his other hand was on her waist holding her in place.
"Please stop," she begged with a cracked voice, " This is not right. I will be your sister and we will be living in this house as a family."
He was livid after hearing that, "You will NEVER BE MY SISTER! I don't want you as my sister. I will never allow it Ji An, never!" He continued to forcefully kiss her.
"Please," her voice started to waver, "At least for our mother, stop. Please, respect her." She lost her strength to fight back, her body started to betray her. She was slowly giving in from his actions.
"She didn't respect my mother. Why should she get my respect?" He got agitated when he heard her. However, his kiss started to become softer and passionate as he caressed her. Her mind wanted him to stop, but her body says different.
With her last strength before she completely gives in to him, she mustered her voice, "Cheng Ze you have to stop. I already have a boyfriend."
It made him stopped and he stared at her. They had reached his bed and her shirt was removed by him, his own shirt was on the floor not far from them.