Ruan Zeer was the reason that they paid attention to news involving Ruan Danchen. When the explosive allegations surfaced, they knew it was biased, and at the same time, they were aware that Ruan Danchen would not have had a good life with a person like Liu Ronghua by her side.
“You’ve suffered a lot all these years. It’s my fault. I’ve wronged Keyu; I’ve wronged you. I can’t believe I let my niece suffer alone out there all these years. I left you alone—alone to be bullied; alone to be called an orphan. I wasn’t there for you… I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault…” Ruan Keshan looked down. Tears trickled onto the bed sheet, forming a puddle on the bed.
Ruan Danchen sniffled. Her eyes turned red at the sight of the man throwing away his dignity and crying in front of her. That family had looked for her for twenty-seven years—how could she ever see them as bad people?
She had no family for the past twenty-seven years—she was utterly touched to find out that they had been looking for her for so many years without giving in. She could not blame them for anything.
Staring down on the bed, Ruan Keshan’s vision was clouded by tears. When he looked up, he saw that Ruan Danchen was sitting by his bed. He could simply reach out and touch her—his niece.
As he gazed at Ruan Danchen’s face, which resembled the deceased Ruan Keyu’s, he could not help but reminisce about his days of youth with his little brother—about Ruan Keyu’s warm smile.
“I’ve found you. Keyu, I found your daughter. I found her. I can finally face you when I leave this world for yours, brother,” Ruan Keshan sobbed.
Ruan Danchen tried her best to hold back her tears as she looked at Ruan Keshan, who was hooked up on drips and his limbs wrapped up in bandages.
“Are… are your injuries severe?” Ruan Danchen inquired softly.
Those were the first words that she uttered since she entered the room. Ruan Keshan was moved beyond words.
“It’s nothing… No… I’m not hurt… Just…umm… twisted my ankle. Nothing serious. Nothing serious at all!” babbled Ruan Keshan incoherently.
Thus, Ruan Zeer explained, “Luckily, the other driver was able to react swiftly and dodged us. My dad’s foot was jammed on the accelerator, so he twisted his ankle there.”
Ruan Danchen nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. She turned back to Ruan Keshan. Sniffling and holding back her tears, she suggested, “Let’s… get a DNA test someday.”
“You… Are you unwilling…?” Ruan Keshan’s expression dulled. He wiped away his tears but was still whimpering; his lips twitched as he forced himself to smile. “I understand. We… don’t wish to disrupt your current life either. You’re living peacefully now—that’s great. We won’t reveal this to anyone either. You—”
“That’s not it,” Ruan Danchen corrected hastily, “Please don’t misunderstand. I didn’t have any relatives since I was a child. I’m over the moon to discover that I do have relatives—relatives who genuinely care for me. It’s something I never even dared to dream of having. I never knew who my father was, or what he looked like. When I asked Liu Ronghua who my father was, what he did and what he looked like, she would never answer me. Now, I have an uncle and so many relatives—I have a family. I’m thrilled.”
She noticed that Ruan Keshan’s expression loosened. She turned to Chen Minxia and Ruan Zeer, smiling at them.
“I know that you’ve been looking for your niece for twenty-seven years. From the beginning until now, you guys never gave in. It’s something very important to all of you, so I think it’s better to verify it. If I’m not the girl you’re looking for—”
Ruan Danchen sucked her lips. “Then the real Miss Ruan is still out there. I do wish that I’m the one you’re looking for; I yearn for you to be my relatives. It must be fate—I’ve always treated Zeer like a little brother. My husband knew about this too. He looked into it and told me that I’m the one you want to find, and I believe him. So, I trust that you’re my real family, but I still think that having some sort of proof will let you guys rest easier.”
“Even without proof, I know you’re the one,” Ruan Keshan assured. Nonetheless, he understood where Ruan Danchen was coming from.
She was afraid that she might disappoint them—she was doing this for their sake.
Ruan Keshan felt blessed to have such a compassionate girl as his niece.
“In that case, when are you free? We’ll do the DNA test. Your grandpa—” As if trying to convince Ruan Danchen that he was telling the truth, Ruan Keshan said ‘your grandpa’ instead of ‘my dad’.
The moment Ruan Danchen heard that, her heart was moved—she had someone she could call Grandpa. Moreover, he was such a respectable old man. Her joy could not be put into words. Without her realizing, her sincere admiration for him was unveiled in her eyes.
When Ruan Keshan saw this, he felt gleeful and reassured.
“Your grandpa has to fly to the US tomorrow to attend a seminar—he won’t be back till next Friday,” Ruan Keshan revealed. “Nonetheless, it’s not difficult to obtain his DNA sample—the house is riddled with his personal belongings.”
“Then… will tomorrow work?” Ruan Danchen proposed. She wanted to get the results as soon as possible.
“Sure, sure!” Ruan Keshan was no different.
Ruan Danchen wiped away the tears on her face with her fingertips. She stood up and put on a relieved smile. “Rest well tonight. We’ll come to fetch you tomorrow. Whatever that needs to be resolved, let’s wait until the result comes out. We’ll talk about it after the elephant in the room is addressed.”
Ruan Keshan was a man—men were usually more inattentive. After a short conversation, Ruan Danchen could already tell that he was a man who paid little attention to details.
Looking for his niece was a matter of utmost importance, so they could not afford to be reckless and omit this DNA test. She did not want Ruan Keshan to periodically doubt whether she was his real niece, afraid that the real one was still out there alone.
Ruan Keshan was a man who valued morals and ethics highly. He would never do anything that would hurt Ruan Danchen—it would be like torturing himself.
He did not want to dishearten, so he did not want to suggest a DNA test. On the other hand, he wanted to investigate further into this—it was always better to know the whole truth with confidence than to guess. He also wanted to eliminate any doubts in his mind.
Moreover, judging from Chen Minxia’s reaction, she agreed with Ruan Danchen too.
“Rest assured, we’ll take care of the repairs for the car,” Qi Chenglin affirmed. Seeing Ruan Keshan’s earnest behavior toward Ruan Danchen, Qi Chenglin’s expression softened.
“Is there anything else you need? We can get it for you.” Ruan Danchen thought that they must’ve had dinner before Ruan Zeer called her to inform them of their visit.
“It’s alright, we don’t lack anything necessary. We’re only staying here for one night, so there’s no need for you to go through all that trouble,” Chen Minxia turned down politely.
Ruan Danchen contemplated it and insisted on getting them some essentials. She instructed Qi Chenglin to head to a supermarket to get some toothbrushes, toothpaste and a thin blanket—the ward was air-conditioned but the weather was warm so a thick one was not necessary.
Ruan Danchen scanned the ward. Ruan Keshan had the privilege to upgrade to a premium ward, but because of the suddenness of the accident, he was admitted into a normal ward. Since it was only one night, they did not bother to request for an upgrade.
However, the ward was not big. There was only one sofa on the side, which could barely fit a person lying down.
Ruan Keshan and Chen Minxia was a married couple, so they could share the bed.
Thus, Ruan Danchen proposed, “Why don’t you come home with us today, Zeer?” You have classes tomorrow and we have a driver who can send you to school.”
“There’s no need. It’s alright,” declined Ruan Zeer, waving his hand and scratching his head.
However, Chen Minxia ordered, “You have school tomorrow. Go home and rest. There’s no point in you staying here anyway.”
Ruan Zeer did not need to take the university entrance exam anymore; nevertheless, Ruan Keshan and Chen Minxia would never let him skip school.
Worse yet, Chen Minxia taught in the high school that Ruan Zeer was in, so she could monitor him twenty-four seven. This made Ruan Zeer feel even more agonized.
“In that case, we’ll send you home,” said Ruan Danchen.
Ruan Zeer yearned to see the DNA test result with them tomorrow, but he did not dare to voice it out.
Before they left, Ruan Danchen turned to Ruan Keshan again and said, “Rest well tonight. We’ll come first thing in the morning tomorrow.”
…
Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen sent Ruan Zeer home. When Ruan Danchen saw him walking in alone with his hands on his head, Ruan Danchen asked tenderly, “Are you sure you don’t want to come home with us? Will you be alright alone?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m quite grown up now,” Ruan Zeer said bashfully. He was scratching his head again.
He glances at Ruan Danchen. His lips twitched and with a flushed face, he mumbled, “I… I’m really glad to have you as my sister.”
He glanced at Ruan Danchen quickly, then explained hastily, “Please don’t misunderstand—it’s not… it’s not because of your status. I just—”
“I’m also glad to have you as my little brother. I sincerely wish that we really are cousins. I’m overjoyed to find out that I have a family—a family as kind as yours, no less. It’s like a dream come true.” Ruan Danchen stroked his head. He was nine years younger than her, and she saw him as both a little brother and a son.
“You don’t have to overthink this. There’s no need to feel apprehension when you tell me such things—I know you guys are good people. You guys don’t care about status and money,” Ruan Danchen assured in a cheerful tone. “Did you know my status when you first met me? You had always been comfortable around me; what changed? Why is it that when you find out that we are even more closely related than we imagined, you act more distant instead of familiar? That’s not right.”
“I may have been overthinking,” admitted Ruan Zeer shyly. His face was tinted red.
“Don’t overthink it,” advised Ruan Danchen softly. “Are you sure you’ll be alright alone? You don’t have to be shy.”
“No, really. There’s no need,” Ruan Zeer insisted.
After all, it was more convenient for him to head to school from here rather than having them drop him off at school after sending Qi Youxuan to his school. The detour would delay their arrival at the hospital.
Ruan Danchen could only nod. Only after she watched Ruan Zeer go up the stairs and saw the lights in the house turn on did she head back to the car. Qi Chenglin drove home.
“So much happened tonight. Are you tired?” Qi Chenglin took his right hand off the steering wheel and held her hand. Ruan Danchen returned his grip and moved his hand onto her tummy.
“I’m not tired. In fact, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep—I’m too exhilarated.” She pointed at her heart. “Despite all, I still feel a little uneasy. I still don’t know for sure that this is really happening.”
“No matter what happens, your health is a priority,” Qi Chenglin reminded, fearful that her emotions would affect her physically.
“Yeah.” Gracefully, she leaned toward him and rested her head on his shoulder.
She wrapped her arm around his and interlaced her fingers with his. She let out a satisfied sigh.
Driving, Qi Chenglin quickly glimpsed at her from the corner of his eyes, then returned his focus on the road. She was pregnant, so he was being extra careful. Besides that, Ruan Keshan was just in an accident that night—it planted fear in him.
He understood that Ruan Keshan must have been too overwhelmed by emotions to pay attention to the road.
It served as a strong reminder for Qi Chenglin to keep his eyes on the road for the sake of Ruan Danchen. Thus, he did not dare to tease Ruan Danchen while driving as he did before.
Even so, with Ruan Danchen so close to him, he could smell some hints of fragrance coming from her face. The smell washed away all his anxiety, soothing and calming him.
“Isn’t it uncomfortable for you to lean on me like this?” inquired Qi Chenglin when they stopped at a red light. He turned to her and kissed her forehead. His lips lingered on her skin, rubbing back and forth as he breathed in the sweet scent of her. His voice was turning hoarse.
His car was spacious as there was a huge gap between the driver and passenger seats. Bridging such a long distance to lean on him could not have been comfortable.
“It’s uncomfortable, but I want to lean on you,” admitted Ruan Danchen. Her eyelids were half-closed as she rubbed against his shoulders kittenishly.
Hearing that, Qi Chenglin kept quiet. He kissed the tip of her nose and continued driving carefully when the light turned green.
“Do you want to nap in the car for a while?” Qi Chenglin asked.
In the limited space of the car, his voice was not too loud, yet it possessed some sort of magnetic quality, sending ripples through her heart. The car was moving, but they were surrounded by a cluster of cars due to a traffic jam. Lights from street lamps, cars, and high-rises flooded their space.
In spite of that, Ruan Danchen felt that it was especially quiet inside the car. It was like a haven exclusive to the two of them. In the car, she could not hear anything but their breaths and Qi Chenglin’s tender and harmonic voice, and smell the fresh scent emitted from his body.
“Having you is such a blessing.” Ruan Danchen wrapped her arms tight around his thick, muscular arm. It was nice and cozy to snuggle up to. “Ever since you came into my life, I got a son, a kind grandma, and a great big family. You’re all so kind to me. Now, I even found my uncle and auntie and even a little brother. I think these are all blessings you brought about. If it weren’t for you, I might not have been able to reunite with my family.”
Without Qi Chenglin, Qi Youxuan would not have existed, and without Qi Youxuan, she would never have met Ruan Zeer. Without Qi Chenglin, her every action would not have caught anyone’s attention and she would never have been on the news—her news would never have reached the Ruan family.
Now that she thought back upon it, it seemed like her luck had gradually improved ever since she met Qi Chenglin.
She felt that she was in safe hands. His breathing gradually calmed her down. Although she claimed she could not sleep just now, her eyes shut without her realizing. Slowly, she dozed off without noticing the smug look on Qi Chenglin’s face when she said those words.
When Qi Chenglin parked the car in the garage, Ruan Danchen was already sound asleep.
If the gap between the seats had been empty—without the storage compartment and center console for her to lean on—she probably would have fallen onto his lap.
Qi Chenglin turned off the engine. Carefully, he moved Ruan Danchen back to her seat. She did not wake up.
He got out of the car and shut the door gently. Then, he went over to her side and carried her out, closing the car door with his leg.
He gazed at her the entire way in. Although she said she was not tired, tonight was quite eventful and she was pregnant—it was not surprising that she would fall asleep.
When they reached the elevator, Qi Chenglin was contemplating how he could carry her with one hand and press the elevator button with the other—all without waking her up. While he was troubled by this, Ruan Danchen rubbed her face against his chest. She looked up and said, “Why don’t you just stand here and hold me for a little longer?”
Qi Chenglin looked down. He tossed her upward a little. Ruan Danchen quickly held on tight to his neck. Even so, it did not scare her; in fact, she thought it was quite fun.
When she was a child, she never had anyone to carry her high-up like this—she enjoyed it very much. She laughed, wrapping her arms tight around him. “You’re not afraid you’re scaring the baby?”
Qi Chenglin was stunned. Suddenly, he regretted his impulsive action.
Noticing this, Ruan Danchen teased, “Why are you so easily startled? Our child is no scaredy-cat. In fact, it’s quite fun. Rest assured, I’m absolutely fine.”
Ruan Danchen rested her cheek on his shoulder. “Today was a good day. I’m happy.”
“You don’t feel any discomfort?” Qi Chenglin’s eyebrows knitted together as he stared anxiously at her belly.
“Not at all.” Ruan Danchen was not worried that Qi Chenglin would be tired from carrying her. She continued to lie lazily in his arms with her eyes half-open.
Although already awake, she was still in a daze. Through her drowsy eyes, all she saw was his dazzlingly fair neck. Turning her face, her gaze moved down from his earlobe, along his angular jaw, to his striking collarbone partially revealed through his shirt collar.
This beguiling sight made Ruan Danchen swallow. She pulled herself closer to him and planted a kiss on his snow-white neck.
When she moved away, she noticed his ears had turned red from the very top to the tip of his earlobes—they were the color of red jade.
His neck, on the other hand, only had a light shade of pink tinted on it. He was too irresistible. She pouted and mumbled inaudibly.
It was something along the lines of him being mean for seducing her like this even when he knew she could not do anything for three months.
Qi Chenglin raised his eyebrows and grinned. He never planned to let her down even if she woke up—he continued to carry her princess-style. “Since when have you been awake?”
Ruan Danchen suspected that he was just trying to change the subject, yet she still answered, “Since you moved me back to my seat on the car.”
She chuckled when she saw him raising an eyebrow at her. “I was just curious about what you will do if I was actually asleep.”
Who would have guessed this man would have times where he was single-minded too although exhausted, he remained persistent about carrying her.
“Feeling cozy in my arms?” teased Qi Chenglin.
“Yeah, I don’t even want to ask you to put me down.” She rested her head against his shoulder—her eyelids drooping.
He was delighted to know that she could relax in his arms and depend entirely on him. He bowed his head to kiss her.
This time, Ruan Danchen was the one turning red. Subconsciously, she returned his kiss, raising her head higher to kiss him deeper. When he penetrated into her mouth, she entangled herself with him passionately—scouring deep into his mouth. As her mouth filled up with the taste of him, she moaned and inhaled sharply.
Qi Chenglin opened his eyes slightly. He saw that his kiss had washed away all her thoughts. Her flushed face was exceedingly bewitching. Indulged in his kiss, she even had beads of tears hanging at the corner of her eyes—tears of pleasure.
Just then, Ruan Danchen heard the elevator bell and recalled that Qi Chenglin never did press the elevator button.
Then, she heard an awkward cough. She snapped out of it instantly and opened her eyes in shock.
Qi Chenglin’s lips moved—Ruan Danchen heard some him grumbling something. When Qi Chenglin looked up and stood straight, Ruan Danchen was so ashamed that she could not utter a word.
Ruan Zeer was the reason that they paid attention to news involving Ruan Danchen. When the explosive allegations surfaced, they knew it was biased, and at the same time, they were aware that Ruan Danchen would not have had a good life with a person like Liu Ronghua by her side.
“You’ve suffered a lot all these years. It’s my fault. I’ve wronged Keyu; I’ve wronged you. I can’t believe I let my niece suffer alone out there all these years. I left you alone—alone to be bullied; alone to be called an orphan. I wasn’t there for you… I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault…” Ruan Keshan looked down. Tears trickled onto the bed sheet, forming a puddle on the bed.
Ruan Danchen sniffled. Her eyes turned red at the sight of the man throwing away his dignity and crying in front of her. That family had looked for her for twenty-seven years—how could she ever see them as bad people?
She had no family for the past twenty-seven years—she was utterly touched to find out that they had been looking for her for so many years without giving in. She could not blame them for anything.
Staring down on the bed, Ruan Keshan’s vision was clouded by tears. When he looked up, he saw that Ruan Danchen was sitting by his bed. He could simply reach out and touch her—his niece.
As he gazed at Ruan Danchen’s face, which resembled the deceased Ruan Keyu’s, he could not help but reminisce about his days of youth with his little brother—about Ruan Keyu’s warm smile.
“I’ve found you. Keyu, I found your daughter. I found her. I can finally face you when I leave this world for yours, brother,” Ruan Keshan sobbed.
Ruan Danchen tried her best to hold back her tears as she looked at Ruan Keshan, who was hooked up on drips and his limbs wrapped up in bandages.
“Are… are your injuries severe?” Ruan Danchen inquired softly.
Those were the first words that she uttered since she entered the room. Ruan Keshan was moved beyond words.
“It’s nothing… No… I’m not hurt… Just…umm… twisted my ankle. Nothing serious. Nothing serious at all!” babbled Ruan Keshan incoherently.
Thus, Ruan Zeer explained, “Luckily, the other driver was able to react swiftly and dodged us. My dad’s foot was jammed on the accelerator, so he twisted his ankle there.”
Ruan Danchen nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. She turned back to Ruan Keshan. Sniffling and holding back her tears, she suggested, “Let’s… get a DNA test someday.”
“You… Are you unwilling…?” Ruan Keshan’s expression dulled. He wiped away his tears but was still whimpering; his lips twitched as he forced himself to smile. “I understand. We… don’t wish to disrupt your current life either. You’re living peacefully now—that’s great. We won’t reveal this to anyone either. You—”
“That’s not it,” Ruan Danchen corrected hastily, “Please don’t misunderstand. I didn’t have any relatives since I was a child. I’m over the moon to discover that I do have relatives—relatives who genuinely care for me. It’s something I never even dared to dream of having. I never knew who my father was, or what he looked like. When I asked Liu Ronghua who my father was, what he did and what he looked like, she would never answer me. Now, I have an uncle and so many relatives—I have a family. I’m thrilled.”
She noticed that Ruan Keshan’s expression loosened. She turned to Chen Minxia and Ruan Zeer, smiling at them.
“I know that you’ve been looking for your niece for twenty-seven years. From the beginning until now, you guys never gave in. It’s something very important to all of you, so I think it’s better to verify it. If I’m not the girl you’re looking for—”
Ruan Danchen sucked her lips. “Then the real Miss Ruan is still out there. I do wish that I’m the one you’re looking for; I yearn for you to be my relatives. It must be fate—I’ve always treated Zeer like a little brother. My husband knew about this too. He looked into it and told me that I’m the one you want to find, and I believe him. So, I trust that you’re my real family, but I still think that having some sort of proof will let you guys rest easier.”
“Even without proof, I know you’re the one,” Ruan Keshan assured. Nonetheless, he understood where Ruan Danchen was coming from.
She was afraid that she might disappoint them—she was doing this for their sake.
Ruan Keshan felt blessed to have such a compassionate girl as his niece.
“In that case, when are you free? We’ll do the DNA test. Your grandpa—” As if trying to convince Ruan Danchen that he was telling the truth, Ruan Keshan said ‘your grandpa’ instead of ‘my dad’.
The moment Ruan Danchen heard that, her heart was moved—she had someone she could call Grandpa. Moreover, he was such a respectable old man. Her joy could not be put into words. Without her realizing, her sincere admiration for him was unveiled in her eyes.
When Ruan Keshan saw this, he felt gleeful and reassured.
“Your grandpa has to fly to the US tomorrow to attend a seminar—he won’t be back till next Friday,” Ruan Keshan revealed. “Nonetheless, it’s not difficult to obtain his DNA sample—the house is riddled with his personal belongings.”
“Then… will tomorrow work?” Ruan Danchen proposed. She wanted to get the results as soon as possible.
“Sure, sure!” Ruan Keshan was no different.
Ruan Danchen wiped away the tears on her face with her fingertips. She stood up and put on a relieved smile. “Rest well tonight. We’ll come to fetch you tomorrow. Whatever that needs to be resolved, let’s wait until the result comes out. We’ll talk about it after the elephant in the room is addressed.”
Ruan Keshan was a man—men were usually more inattentive. After a short conversation, Ruan Danchen could already tell that he was a man who paid little attention to details.
Looking for his niece was a matter of utmost importance, so they could not afford to be reckless and omit this DNA test. She did not want Ruan Keshan to periodically doubt whether she was his real niece, afraid that the real one was still out there alone.
Ruan Keshan was a man who valued morals and ethics highly. He would never do anything that would hurt Ruan Danchen—it would be like torturing himself.
He did not want to dishearten, so he did not want to suggest a DNA test. On the other hand, he wanted to investigate further into this—it was always better to know the whole truth with confidence than to guess. He also wanted to eliminate any doubts in his mind.
Moreover, judging from Chen Minxia’s reaction, she agreed with Ruan Danchen too.
“Rest assured, we’ll take care of the repairs for the car,” Qi Chenglin affirmed. Seeing Ruan Keshan’s earnest behavior toward Ruan Danchen, Qi Chenglin’s expression softened.
“Is there anything else you need? We can get it for you.” Ruan Danchen thought that they must’ve had dinner before Ruan Zeer called her to inform them of their visit.
“It’s alright, we don’t lack anything necessary. We’re only staying here for one night, so there’s no need for you to go through all that trouble,” Chen Minxia turned down politely.
Ruan Danchen contemplated it and insisted on getting them some essentials. She instructed Qi Chenglin to head to a supermarket to get some toothbrushes, toothpaste and a thin blanket—the ward was air-conditioned but the weather was warm so a thick one was not necessary.
Ruan Danchen scanned the ward. Ruan Keshan had the privilege to upgrade to a premium ward, but because of the suddenness of the accident, he was admitted into a normal ward. Since it was only one night, they did not bother to request for an upgrade.
However, the ward was not big. There was only one sofa on the side, which could barely fit a person lying down.
Ruan Keshan and Chen Minxia was a married couple, so they could share the bed.
Thus, Ruan Danchen proposed, “Why don’t you come home with us today, Zeer?” You have classes tomorrow and we have a driver who can send you to school.”
“There’s no need. It’s alright,” declined Ruan Zeer, waving his hand and scratching his head.
However, Chen Minxia ordered, “You have school tomorrow. Go home and rest. There’s no point in you staying here anyway.”
Ruan Zeer did not need to take the university entrance exam anymore; nevertheless, Ruan Keshan and Chen Minxia would never let him skip school.
Worse yet, Chen Minxia taught in the high school that Ruan Zeer was in, so she could monitor him twenty-four seven. This made Ruan Zeer feel even more agonized.
“In that case, we’ll send you home,” said Ruan Danchen.
Ruan Zeer yearned to see the DNA test result with them tomorrow, but he did not dare to voice it out.
Before they left, Ruan Danchen turned to Ruan Keshan again and said, “Rest well tonight. We’ll come first thing in the morning tomorrow.”
…
Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen sent Ruan Zeer home. When Ruan Danchen saw him walking in alone with his hands on his head, Ruan Danchen asked tenderly, “Are you sure you don’t want to come home with us? Will you be alright alone?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m quite grown up now,” Ruan Zeer said bashfully. He was scratching his head again.
He glances at Ruan Danchen. His lips twitched and with a flushed face, he mumbled, “I… I’m really glad to have you as my sister.”
He glanced at Ruan Danchen quickly, then explained hastily, “Please don’t misunderstand—it’s not… it’s not because of your status. I just—”
“I’m also glad to have you as my little brother. I sincerely wish that we really are cousins. I’m overjoyed to find out that I have a family—a family as kind as yours, no less. It’s like a dream come true.” Ruan Danchen stroked his head. He was nine years younger than her, and she saw him as both a little brother and a son.
“You don’t have to overthink this. There’s no need to feel apprehension when you tell me such things—I know you guys are good people. You guys don’t care about status and money,” Ruan Danchen assured in a cheerful tone. “Did you know my status when you first met me? You had always been comfortable around me; what changed? Why is it that when you find out that we are even more closely related than we imagined, you act more distant instead of familiar? That’s not right.”
“I may have been overthinking,” admitted Ruan Zeer shyly. His face was tinted red.
“Don’t overthink it,” advised Ruan Danchen softly. “Are you sure you’ll be alright alone? You don’t have to be shy.”
“No, really. There’s no need,” Ruan Zeer insisted.
After all, it was more convenient for him to head to school from here rather than having them drop him off at school after sending Qi Youxuan to his school. The detour would delay their arrival at the hospital.
Ruan Danchen could only nod. Only after she watched Ruan Zeer go up the stairs and saw the lights in the house turn on did she head back to the car. Qi Chenglin drove home.
“So much happened tonight. Are you tired?” Qi Chenglin took his right hand off the steering wheel and held her hand. Ruan Danchen returned his grip and moved his hand onto her tummy.
“I’m not tired. In fact, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep—I’m too exhilarated.” She pointed at her heart. “Despite all, I still feel a little uneasy. I still don’t know for sure that this is really happening.”
“No matter what happens, your health is a priority,” Qi Chenglin reminded, fearful that her emotions would affect her physically.
“Yeah.” Gracefully, she leaned toward him and rested her head on his shoulder.
She wrapped her arm around his and interlaced her fingers with his. She let out a satisfied sigh.
Driving, Qi Chenglin quickly glimpsed at her from the corner of his eyes, then returned his focus on the road. She was pregnant, so he was being extra careful. Besides that, Ruan Keshan was just in an accident that night—it planted fear in him.
He understood that Ruan Keshan must have been too overwhelmed by emotions to pay attention to the road.
It served as a strong reminder for Qi Chenglin to keep his eyes on the road for the sake of Ruan Danchen. Thus, he did not dare to tease Ruan Danchen while driving as he did before.
Even so, with Ruan Danchen so close to him, he could smell some hints of fragrance coming from her face. The smell washed away all his anxiety, soothing and calming him.
“Isn’t it uncomfortable for you to lean on me like this?” inquired Qi Chenglin when they stopped at a red light. He turned to her and kissed her forehead. His lips lingered on her skin, rubbing back and forth as he breathed in the sweet scent of her. His voice was turning hoarse.
His car was spacious as there was a huge gap between the driver and passenger seats. Bridging such a long distance to lean on him could not have been comfortable.
“It’s uncomfortable, but I want to lean on you,” admitted Ruan Danchen. Her eyelids were half-closed as she rubbed against his shoulders kittenishly.
Hearing that, Qi Chenglin kept quiet. He kissed the tip of her nose and continued driving carefully when the light turned green.
“Do you want to nap in the car for a while?” Qi Chenglin asked.
In the limited space of the car, his voice was not too loud, yet it possessed some sort of magnetic quality, sending ripples through her heart. The car was moving, but they were surrounded by a cluster of cars due to a traffic jam. Lights from street lamps, cars, and high-rises flooded their space.
In spite of that, Ruan Danchen felt that it was especially quiet inside the car. It was like a haven exclusive to the two of them. In the car, she could not hear anything but their breaths and Qi Chenglin’s tender and harmonic voice, and smell the fresh scent emitted from his body.
“Having you is such a blessing.” Ruan Danchen wrapped her arms tight around his thick, muscular arm. It was nice and cozy to snuggle up to. “Ever since you came into my life, I got a son, a kind grandma, and a great big family. You’re all so kind to me. Now, I even found my uncle and auntie and even a little brother. I think these are all blessings you brought about. If it weren’t for you, I might not have been able to reunite with my family.”
Without Qi Chenglin, Qi Youxuan would not have existed, and without Qi Youxuan, she would never have met Ruan Zeer. Without Qi Chenglin, her every action would not have caught anyone’s attention and she would never have been on the news—her news would never have reached the Ruan family.
Now that she thought back upon it, it seemed like her luck had gradually improved ever since she met Qi Chenglin.
She felt that she was in safe hands. His breathing gradually calmed her down. Although she claimed she could not sleep just now, her eyes shut without her realizing. Slowly, she dozed off without noticing the smug look on Qi Chenglin’s face when she said those words.
When Qi Chenglin parked the car in the garage, Ruan Danchen was already sound asleep.
If the gap between the seats had been empty—without the storage compartment and center console for her to lean on—she probably would have fallen onto his lap.
Qi Chenglin turned off the engine. Carefully, he moved Ruan Danchen back to her seat. She did not wake up.
He got out of the car and shut the door gently. Then, he went over to her side and carried her out, closing the car door with his leg.
He gazed at her the entire way in. Although she said she was not tired, tonight was quite eventful and she was pregnant—it was not surprising that she would fall asleep.
When they reached the elevator, Qi Chenglin was contemplating how he could carry her with one hand and press the elevator button with the other—all without waking her up. While he was troubled by this, Ruan Danchen rubbed her face against his chest. She looked up and said, “Why don’t you just stand here and hold me for a little longer?”
Qi Chenglin looked down. He tossed her upward a little. Ruan Danchen quickly held on tight to his neck. Even so, it did not scare her; in fact, she thought it was quite fun.
When she was a child, she never had anyone to carry her high-up like this—she enjoyed it very much. She laughed, wrapping her arms tight around him. “You’re not afraid you’re scaring the baby?”
Qi Chenglin was stunned. Suddenly, he regretted his impulsive action.
Noticing this, Ruan Danchen teased, “Why are you so easily startled? Our child is no scaredy-cat. In fact, it’s quite fun. Rest assured, I’m absolutely fine.”
Ruan Danchen rested her cheek on his shoulder. “Today was a good day. I’m happy.”
“You don’t feel any discomfort?” Qi Chenglin’s eyebrows knitted together as he stared anxiously at her belly.
“Not at all.” Ruan Danchen was not worried that Qi Chenglin would be tired from carrying her. She continued to lie lazily in his arms with her eyes half-open.
Although already awake, she was still in a daze. Through her drowsy eyes, all she saw was his dazzlingly fair neck. Turning her face, her gaze moved down from his earlobe, along his angular jaw, to his striking collarbone partially revealed through his shirt collar.
This beguiling sight made Ruan Danchen swallow. She pulled herself closer to him and planted a kiss on his snow-white neck.
When she moved away, she noticed his ears had turned red from the very top to the tip of his earlobes—they were the color of red jade.
His neck, on the other hand, only had a light shade of pink tinted on it. He was too irresistible. She pouted and mumbled inaudibly.
It was something along the lines of him being mean for seducing her like this even when he knew she could not do anything for three months.
Qi Chenglin raised his eyebrows and grinned. He never planned to let her down even if she woke up—he continued to carry her princess-style. “Since when have you been awake?”
Ruan Danchen suspected that he was just trying to change the subject, yet she still answered, “Since you moved me back to my seat on the car.”
She chuckled when she saw him raising an eyebrow at her. “I was just curious about what you will do if I was actually asleep.”
Who would have guessed this man would have times where he was single-minded too although exhausted, he remained persistent about carrying her.
“Feeling cozy in my arms?” teased Qi Chenglin.
“Yeah, I don’t even want to ask you to put me down.” She rested her head against his shoulder—her eyelids drooping.
He was delighted to know that she could relax in his arms and depend entirely on him. He bowed his head to kiss her.
This time, Ruan Danchen was the one turning red. Subconsciously, she returned his kiss, raising her head higher to kiss him deeper. When he penetrated into her mouth, she entangled herself with him passionately—scouring deep into his mouth. As her mouth filled up with the taste of him, she moaned and inhaled sharply.
Qi Chenglin opened his eyes slightly. He saw that his kiss had washed away all her thoughts. Her flushed face was exceedingly bewitching. Indulged in his kiss, she even had beads of tears hanging at the corner of her eyes—tears of pleasure.
Just then, Ruan Danchen heard the elevator bell and recalled that Qi Chenglin never did press the elevator button.
Then, she heard an awkward cough. She snapped out of it instantly and opened her eyes in shock.
Qi Chenglin’s lips moved—Ruan Danchen heard some him grumbling something. When Qi Chenglin looked up and stood straight, Ruan Danchen was so ashamed that she could not utter a word.
