Shen Ning looked at him, her eyes searching his face. "If I get pregnant, how will I go to college?"
Qin Yuheng's expression remained calm, as he responded, "You can stay at home during your pregnancy and continue your classes online. I can hire private tutors for you. After the baby is born, you can go back to college."
It sounded so logical, so easy in his words, but she wasn't convinced. Shen Ning pursed her lips. "And what about the child?"
"Our parents can help take care of the baby," he replied without hesitation. "And when I'm free, I'll take care of the child myself."
Shen Ning blinked, momentarily speechless. "You make it sound so simple... Is it because our family is urging us for a child?"
Qin Yuheng shook his head. "It's me who wants."
'Even if she decided to leave him and he can't keep her, at least the child would be proof of how they were once in love with each other,' he thought.
Her rejection was firm no matter how much he tried to convince her. "I'm not ready right now." Because...
His hands clenched at his sides as he suppressed the urge to argue. She was so resolute, so sure of herself. But how could he let it go?
"Ah Ning," he said after a moment, his voice low and almost pleading, "What if we never find the perfect time? Life is always unpredictable. What if we keep waiting and regret it later?"
"Hubby..." She murmured.
Qin Yuheng's chest rose and fell as he tried to calm the storm of emotions brewing inside him. "Ah Ning, you don't want to have my child?"
She was baffled. "When did I say that? I want it too... Let's wait two years?"
He sighed. "Alright. Let's... wait until you are ready."
------
The next day, he dropped her at the college gate before going to the company.
"Take care," she said, her voice soft but firm. "Don't overwork yourself."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Hmm."
She leaned over, brushing her lips against his in a brief kiss before stepping out.
To the company," he instructed Wang Xu once the car door shut.
---
At ShengTian Group, Qin Yuheng sat in his expansive office, the city skyline visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him. Yet, his mind was elsewhere. Resting his elbows on the desk, he opened his laptop and navigated to Zhihu. His account nickname, YH, glowed faintly in the corner of the screen.
He typed into the search bar: What to do when your wife rejects the idea of having your child?
The search results flooded in immediately, each post echoing a common theme: patience, understanding, and compromise. But Qin Yuheng wasn't looking for a feel-good answer. He was desperate for something that would shift Shen Ning's resolve, something that would convince her to have his child now, not later.
He clicked on a forum titled When Love Meets Family: Child or Career? And began scrolling through the responses.
RealTalk101: [If she isn't ready, give her time. This is a huge commitment. Don't pressure her. Sometimes, the best way to win is by being patient and supporting her through the process. She'll come around.]
The Heartbreaker: [Don't wait for the perfect moment. There is no such thing. Do you want a child? Make it happen. She'll understand later. Sometimes women need a little push. Trust me. If you want it, you can make it work.]
Qin Yuheng bit his lip, staring at the screen. A push?
QuietStrm: [You can't force someone to have a child if they don't feel ready. But... what if you let her see how much you want it? Maybe if she sees your passion, she'll reconsider. If she loves you, she'll want to make you happy.]
DesireUnleashed: [Bro, just poke a few holes in the condoms secretly. She's just not ready, but if she really loves you, she won't abort. You'll both be happier once the baby's here. Trust me, it works.]
Qin Yuheng's fingers froze over the keyboard as he reread the suggestion. His stomach churned. Was that an option? Could he do that?
He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. His thoughts swirled. He didn't know whether to laugh or feel disgusted. Was this how desperate he had become?
He wasn't the kind of man to do something underhanded. But the thought lingered—what if it was the only way? Wouldn't she eventually see that the child was the best thing for them? They would raise it together, and things would work out. She would understand, wouldn't she?
As he thought, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Qin Yuheng exhaled slowly, closing the forum and pushing the idea to the back of his mind—for now. He couldn't let his thoughts run wild. Not yet. But the temptation... the idea still gnawed at him.
The thought still lingered in his mind: Would he regret not acting sooner?
Wang Xu brought the file. "Sir, the report from yesterday's investigation."
Qin Yuheng took the file.
"Sir, do you remember the incident where you and madam almost had an accident and there was a fault with madam's car?"
He remembered. How could he forget? That incident brought him and his wife closer.
"While investigating yesterday's matter, I found that both incidents were instigated by someone in the dark. Whoever that person is, he is someone powerful, because, there's no trace to track that person." He spoke again, "But I guess there's a spy among the staff in Moon villa."
Qin Yuheng's eyes darkened. "Keep an eye on them. Don't be too obvious and alert them." He added, "Also double the security around young madam."