"Mom?!" Ouyang Xiaoqing opened the door, both surprised and delighted to see the person outside the iron gate.
In contrast to her excitement, Li Shumei stared in shock at her daughter's noticeably rounded belly. Her daughter… was pregnant!
"Mom, come in and sit down." Ouyang Xiaoqing understood her mother's astonishment; it was difficult to explain everything at once. She needed to get her inside first.
"What's going on?" Once in the living room, Li Shumei anxiously asked, "Who's the father of the child?"
"A good person." In front of her mother, she couldn't bring herself to say, "I don't know." The initial confusion about his identity was a deliberate mistake on her part because she hadn't wanted to know.
"A good person?!" How could a man who hurt her daughter be a good person?
Li Shumei wanted to press further but was interrupted by her daughter. "Mom, are you doing well?" Her concerns, besides the two babies in her belly, were for her mother. "Are they treating you well?"
Are they? Li Shumei let out a light laugh. It didn't matter much anymore; just being able to step into the Ouyang family legitimately was enough for her, especially since she had once been a mistress. She felt grateful that the two brothers accepted her. Besides, her husband's kindness and tenderness were enough to make up for everything. It was just that…
"I shouldn't have let you suffer alone." She gently stroked her daughter's long hair. "Why did you move away from your old home?" It had made her and her husband worry, sending people to look for news.
Ouyang Xiaoqing shook her head. That home held too many memories, memories so sweet they could make her cry. But she didn't want to cling to those memories because it would only make her more depressed. However, she couldn't voice these feelings; she didn't want to burden her mother. She sensed that her mother's current life wasn't very pleasant.
"It's nothing; it was just too big. Qiumi asked if I wanted to share an apartment with her to look out for each other, so I moved here. I didn't notify you because… because we agreed to sever ties…" The last part she almost whispered to herself before finally saying it out loud.
Li Shumei froze. Sever ties!? It sounded heartbreaking, but it was also helpless.
"I'm sorry… it's my fault. I shouldn't have—"
"Mom!" Ouyang Xiaoqing interrupted her mother's self-blame. She didn't blame anyone; everything was just a chapter in life, even meeting that person was the same. "I'm doing well; Qiumi and Yizhou take good care of me. And—" She gently touched her rounded belly, "Soon, I'll have two little treasures to keep me company, a boy and a girl, just as cute as can be." That way, she wouldn't be lonely.
Two? "Twins?" Oh my! Xiaoqing was still so young! How could she handle this?
"Mom? Mom?" Ouyang Xiaoqing looked worriedly at her mother's terrified expression.
Suddenly, her hands were tightly grasped by her mother. "Come back with me; I can't be at ease with you here." Her daughter was so young… how could she be reassured?
"Mom!" Xiaoqing stood her ground, not letting her mother pull her another step. "I can't go back!" In fact, it was impossible.
"Yes, you can! I'll ask them! You can!" Yes! That's right! She could ask them to let Xiaoqing come home; they would agree.
"Mom—" Ouyang Xiaoqing pried her mother's hands away, her tone calm yet devoid of emotion. "You know in your heart that's impossible."
Her daughter's desperate look doused Li Shumei's excitement like a bucket of cold water.
Xiaoqing was right; she knew herself that marrying into the Ouyang family was the limit of what those brothers could tolerate. There was no way they could accept an illegitimate daughter's sister.
Why? Why was her life always going against her wishes? She simply liked someone, wanted to have a child for him, wished to be by his side, wanted to be with him… It was just a simple, ordinary life! Why could she never have it? No matter what, she always had to choose to give up something she cherished. Why did this "either-or" dilemma keep appearing in her life, and when would it stop?
From giving up freedom, dignity, and a legitimate identity to being willing to remain hidden, to giving up her own daughter; how much more would she have to sacrifice in this life?
"You really don't need to worry." Ouyang Xiaoqing took her mother's hand tightly. "I can manage just fine on my own, truly." She swore earnestly like a child, "I can cook, do laundry, clean the house. More importantly, I won't kick off the covers at night."
She made funny faces, trying to make Li Shumei laugh. "You can rest assured, Mom."
Li Shumei knew her daughter was trying to cheer her up, and she managed a smile, but her heart was far from lightened. The concern about her daughter's pregnancy lingered.
Being an unmarried mother was tough; she knew that from experience.
Fine, she wouldn't press her daughter about who the man responsible was, as a way to respect her.
Li Shumei took a passbook and a stamp from her purse and handed them to her daughter. "This is the money I saved for you. It was supposed to be your dowry, but it seems—" She glanced at her daughter's rounded belly, "it'll have to become my future grandchild's education fund instead."
"Mom…"
"Take it. Consider it a gift for my grandchild." This was her hard-earned money, the result of her working while independently raising her daughter.
It wasn't much, but it was the only thing she could give.
"Thank you, Mom." Ouyang Xiaoqing took the passbook and stamp, feeling a mix of emotions inside.
"Well…" Li Shumei anxiously glanced at the clock on the wall. She didn't want to leave, but she had to go; the tension was making her restless.
"Mom, you should go back. If my brother finds out—" If it were her second brother, it wouldn't be so bad, but if her eldest brother knew, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Her eldest brother hated her deeply, while the second brother treated her with disdain. Both situations inflicted equal harm on her.
"Then…" Li Shumei wanted to say more but ultimately swallowed her words. It had been over eight months since she and her daughter had last seen each other, and now the reunion was under such circumstances that it left her emotionally exhausted.
"Mom, you can't sneak over to find me anymore." Ouyang Xiaoqing didn't want her mother to worry so much. "With Qiumi and Yizhou by my side, I'll be fine."
"This…"
"And," she said seriously, "don't let Dad know. I don't want him to worry."
"Okay."
Ouyang Xiaoqing almost pushed her mother out the door. Just before closing it, she softly said, "Goodbye."
Li Shumei stared at the closed iron gate for a long time. She wanted to see her daughter one more time; she wanted to hold her like when she was little... but that wish was becoming increasingly difficult to fulfill.
Inside, Ouyang Xiaoqing could no longer hold back the tears she had been suppressing for so long.
"Baby, that was Grandma just now…" she whispered, gently caressing her belly.
Meanwhile, Ren Qiumi and Jiang Yizhou had taken a detour to the market on their way home, enthusiastically buying fish, meat, vegetables, and fruits. They were fully loaded with bags, intending to pamper the pregnant Ouyang Xiaoqing and treat themselves as well. However, upon entering, they were met with the sight of Xiaoqing sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her face like a dam bursting.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Yizhou yelled first, dropping the bags and squatting beside her. "Xiaoqing! Are you going into labor? Does it hurt? Tell me quickly!" Oh my! Xiaoqing was going into labor, and it was only eight months and eleven days—wasn't that premature? What to do? They said premature babies are often weak, what should they do? Waaa…
Thus, another person joined the tears flowing on the floor.
What a mess! Ren Qiumi gritted her teeth, fighting the urge to drag Jiang Yizhou to the hospital for a brain check.
She dumped all the bags on the floor, grabbed Jiang Yizhou, and tossed her onto the sofa.
"Ow!" Jiang Yizhou rubbed her backside, glaring at Ren Qiumi with tears and snot running down her face. "Xiaoqing is going into labor, and you're still bullying me! Hurry and take her to the hospital! Waaa…"
She was crying while talking so fluently. Ren Qiumi couldn't help but admire her.
"Xiaoqing is not going into labor." The due date was still a long way off; no need to be so tense! "She's just sitting on the floor crying," Ren Qiumi said irritably.
Compared to Jiang Yizhou, Ouyang Xiaoqing was obviously treated much better. "Just sit down slowly, good, lift your feet up."
Not going into labor?! Jiang Yizhou instantly stopped crying, her tears disappearing like leaves in an autumn wind the moment she heard that. Her ability to control her tears was well-known.
"Why didn't you say that earlier! You made me cry my heart out." How embarrassing.
"Who was the one panicking?" She blamed others without knowing the situation. "Get over here and massage Xiaoqing's feet!" Ren Qiumi shot her a glare and went to the fridge with the bags.
"Why?" Jiang Yizhou asked. She had already positioned herself, obediently rubbing Xiaoqing's slightly swollen feet due to pregnancy.
"Still asking why!" Ren Qiumi was already furious about this. The force with which she stuffed food into the fridge intensified. "Who said they would properly read the pregnancy manual! And you? You're the one who did the least studying! The book we bought looks brand new, not even a page turned!" She was so angry!
In fact, among the three of them, she was the only one who had read it.
"Hey! You know I don't like reading!"
Not liking to read but managing to achieve excellent grades at graduation? The jar of satay sauce dropped forcefully on the fridge shelf.
"Xiaoqing, how about we have hot pot tonight?" Ren Qiumi looked at the supplies they had brought back, smiling with satisfaction. "I bought fish dumplings, shrimp dumplings, and your favorite egg dumplings… Xiaoqing?" Odd; she would normally rush to eat hot pot as soon as she heard about it—oh!
Distracted by Jiang Yizhou's confusion, she completely forgot that Xiaoqing was crying!
Ren Qiumi hurriedly tossed the hot pot ingredients into the fridge and rushed over to Ouyang Xiaoqing. "Why are you crying?" She held her friend's hand tightly and noticed that Xiaoqing was clutching a savings book.
"Who gave you this?"
Jiang Yizhou pulled out the savings book and opened it. "Wow! Five hundred and thirty thousand!"
"Where did you get so much money?" No reaction. "Xiaoqing? Xiaoqing?" Ren Qiumi called out worriedly.
"She…" Ouyang Xiaoqing slowly spoke, "Mom… she came to see me…" She leaned her head on Ren Qiumi's shoulder, and the tears that had just dried began to flow again. "She came to see me…"
"Did your mom give you the money?" Ren Qiumi asked when Xiaoqing nodded slightly. "Isn't that great?"
"Yeah." Ouyang Xiaoqing hugged her friend tightly, snuggling like a little cat seeking warmth.
"Then why are you still crying?" Jiang Yizhou, with one hand rubbing Xiaoqing's back, asked in confusion.
"Because I'm afraid I won't be able to see her again…" That was one reason for her tears. "And I'm also scared… scared I won't be able to endure the pain when I give birth…" She wished her beloved mother would be by her side during childbirth. In reality, she was very afraid of being alone, watching her belly grow slowly and her entire body change; it terrified her.
"Do you regret having the baby?" Ren Qiumi asked, her tone as if freezing the air.
"No!" The denial came out quickly and urgently. "I don't regret it!" She loved the two babies in her belly.
"Then just focus on the birth and stop overthinking." Ren Qiumi's tense tone relaxed, deciding to let Jiang Yizhou take over the comforting duties. "Yizhou, I'm leaving Xiaoqing to you for now. Take good care of her, okay?" She needed to get back to the important business of filling their bellies.
"Don't blame Qiumi; she didn't mean to yell at you just now," Jiang Yizhou said while massaging her friend's calves after Ren Qiumi entered the kitchen. "She just doesn't want the world to have two unexpected lives and an unwilling unmarried mother."
"I know." Ouyang Xiaoqing nodded. "I know."
The top floor of Huanyu Department Store was the exclusive office of the highest authority in Huanyu Group, where all policy announcements and project developments were initiated from this roughly thirty-ping private office, which symbolized Huanyu Group's peak.
And this would be the place he would soon take residence.
Du Yuheng surveyed the spacious area. He had always admired his father's office; thirty ping was neither big nor small, yet it contained a wealth of market information and numerous talented individuals.
Starting from his university days as a new employee at the grassroots level, he had now climbed to the position of general manager.
The journey hadn't been overly difficult, but it was tiring. Now, the last step he had been climbing was just one step away—the presidency of Huanyu Group.
"Son—" Du Zhenhuan finally turned his chair around to face his son. "Don't you think you've been a bit too dedicated to your work lately?"
"I don't understand what you mean, Dad."
"Still pretending not to know!" Du Zhenhuan put down his pipe and looked at his beloved son through the rising smoke. "Ziping said you've been going out to flirt less lately, is that right?"
Flirting? "Don't listen to his nonsense."
"But you really have been too immersed in work lately, neglecting your leisure life. Honestly, I'm worried about you."
"I think it's Mom who's worried." A few days ago, his mother had left a voicemail at his place, saying that this year she didn't want to travel abroad and wanted to experience the joy of being a grandmother, ordering him to pop out a little monkey to make her happy. "I suggest you take Mom out of the country to avoid her overthinking."
"Can't blame your mom for worrying!" Knowing his wife's personality, Du Zhenhuan understood that she had recently become obsessed with a comic about dolls, suddenly wanting a doll to play with. Last night, she even said she hoped her grandson could perform an elephant dance for her—sigh! There was no news of a future daughter-in-law yet, so how could there be a grandson to dance?
"You're twenty-eight now. What parent doesn't hope their child can settle down after establishing their career? Your mom is just concerned about you!"
"I don't plan to settle down until the American branch is confirmed." Bringing Huanyu into the American market was a plan he was eager to accomplish.
"Actually, this project has been approved for quite some time; I'm just considering who to send." That was what he had been troubled about lately.
"I'll go." Du Yuheng said firmly. "I'll handle the project I proposed myself."
One month can feel like a vacation for some, while others are swamped with work.
Lei Ziping felt he belonged to the latter group.
"I'm done!" He jumped up from across the desk, protesting against his boss's relentless demands. "Since you decided to go abroad, it's been like I'm working a year's worth of hours in just one month, working late every night, and you won't even give me a break before you leave!" He hadn't seen the girls in forever; they must be missing him.
"I can't afford any mistakes on these cases," Du Yuheng replied, focused on his paperwork, handing over another report. "File this."
"This is inhumane!" Ziping exclaimed. "I'll be spinning like a top starting tomorrow! Please, just let me have tonight off."
"Ten minutes," Du Yuheng said flatly, continuing his writing.
"Ten—ten minutes?!"
"Come on, have a heart! What can I do in ten minutes? That's just enough time to take the elevator down and back up!"
Du Yuheng finally lifted his gaze.
"Uh…" Ziping felt a chill under his boss's scrutiny and took a step back. "I'm just looking out for employee rights, that's all."
After observing Ziping's pale face, Du Yuheng's sternness softened. "If you promise no mistakes, I won't mind you going out tonight."
"Noproblem!" Ziping felt relief wash over him.
"This is your idea of a break?" Du Yuheng frowned, disgusted by the dark, smoky atmosphere filled with a restless crowd and an unbearable stench.
"Hey! This is Taipei's famous nightlife!" Ziping led him to a cashew-shaped bar.
"What do you want to drink?" he asked, ordering a "Johnnie Walker" for himself.
"Vodka." Du Yuheng scanned the dance floor, his distaste growing with the crowd and sweat-soaked air.
"Not used to this, huh?" Ziping noticed his discomfort. "But you have to adapt."
Du Yuheng raised an eyebrow, questioning why.
"Because there are treasures in places like this." Ziping pointed to a long-haired boy slumped at a table. "That kid is a registered corporate spy from Hong Kong."
A corporate spy? Du Yuheng studied the boy but saw nothing remarkable about him.
"The more chaotic the place, the more hidden talent there is," Ziping continued, sipping his drink. "This is especially true in America, particularly Manhattan."
"Reminiscing?" Du Yuheng raised his glass to him. "I never thought to recruit talent this way, but I'll try it in the U.S."
"That's the spirit!" Ziping grinned. "Not everyone who rises to the top is the most capable; there are always more exceptional people waiting below."
"But they are definitely the calmest," Du Yuheng interjected, recalling this theory from their early days of friendship.
"Exactly!" Ziping slapped his back. "Cheers! Here's to your new journey."
The glasses clinked with a bright sound.
"Ah… it hurts… Qiumi… Yizhou… I'm in so much pain…" The contractions came in waves, relentless and piercing, invading every part of Ouyang Xiaoqing's body.
"Mom… it hurts… so much…" She wanted to be strong, but her fading consciousness called out for her most important person. "Mom—"
"Damn it! Where's the ambulance? It should be here by now!" Qiumi cursed, panicking as Xiaoqing's waters broke.
"Qiumi, her face is pale, her hands and feet are cold, and there's so much—" Is it water? It doesn't look like it.
"Yizhou! Grab some clothes; I'll take her to the hospital!" Qiumi assured herself that she could carry Xiaoqing's light frame.
"I got it!" Yizhou rushed in, stuffing a bag with clothes. "Done!"
"Okay." Qiumi put an arm around Xiaoqing and lifted her, asking, "Do you have the money?"
"Got it!" Yizhou clutched her purse tightly, holding the delivery funds they had prepared.
"Open the door!"
"Got it!"
At four in the morning, two women sprinted down a dark street, one cradling a pregnant woman in their arms, rushing toward the new life about to be born.
"Leave Taipei to me; you focus on the U.S.!" Ziping patted his friend's shoulder in the airport. "Don't push yourself! If you need help, just call."
"That's exactly what I was going to say," Du Yuheng replied with a rare smile.
"Take care." Although he was serious, Ziping would miss him; when he was overwhelmed with work, this friend would always come to mind.
"Leave everything here to you," Du Yuheng reminded him one last time.
"Sure!" Ziping promised.
Du Yuheng nodded, grabbed his luggage, and turned to leave.
He had to temporarily leave Taiwan, but he would return soon.
As he entered the departure hall, a sudden wave of unease made him glance back—
Nothing was there.
But what was that feeling?
His hand instinctively pressed against his pocket, where his wallet lay, holding a faded yellow note with cartoon lettering…
He felt as if he left something behind in Taiwan…
On the same day, March 31st, twins were born at Xiyuan Hospital, with their names decided after much discussion:
The boy was named Ouyang Kaifeng.
The girl was named Ouyang Kaiyin.