CHAPTER 230: CHAPTER 216: OVER TWO MONTHS PREGNANT

Gu Qili and Hu Jiaojiao both received a call from the school at the same time; Qili had passed her Level 8 exam with the highest score across Australian University.

"Qili, with this certificate, you can continue to pursue your dream. You’re so outstanding, I believe you will surely achieve great academic success." Teacher Shang conveyed the good news to her immediately. There had been so many incidents before the exam that she had been concerned it would affect Qili’s performance. Yet Qili managed to get the highest score in the entire city, which made Teacher Shang feel relieved and believed that the heavens were still fair to her.

"Teacher Shang, did Hu Jiaojiao pass too?"

"Yes, another teacher is notifying her. You two are good friends, and you both did so well, it’s quite rare." Teacher Shang, unaware of their complicated relationship, spoke with genuine joy.

Gu Qili stayed silent, seemingly lost in thought.

"Qili, don’t forget to come to school for your certificate this week." When Teacher Shang didn’t hear a response, she quickly raised her voice and called out her name twice.

Only then did Qili hastily reply: "I got it, Teacher Shang."

After chatting a bit more with Teacher Shang, Qili hung up the phone. Just as she placed her mobile on the coffee table, Mu Shuoqian returned.

It had started to rain outside again. He must have walked too quickly and neglected to bring an umbrella, as a layer of mist clung to his black suit.

Gu Qili hurriedly trotted over, naturally reaching out to brush his shoulders, unable to refrain from scolding him: "Don’t you have an umbrella in your car? Why didn’t you think to use it?"

Mu Shuoqian took off his shoes and said while bending down: "The rain wasn’t heavy; I couldn’t be bothered to open the trunk."

"Dinner is ready, go wash your hands and eat." Gu Qili took his clothes to hang them on a nearby rack, then with persistent concern she advised, "Better take a hot shower first, don’t catch a cold."

Mu Shuoqian hummed in acknowledgment and went to shower.

By the time he returned to the dining room, the table had been set with dishes, all his favorites.

Gu Qili placed his chopsticks on his right side and asked, as if casually, "Did Hu Jiaojiao come to see you today?"

"Hmm." He elegantly rolled up his sleeves before picking up the bowl and chopsticks: "She gave me some photos and videos."

Gu Qili felt somewhat relieved; if she hadn’t told Mu Shuoqian the whole truth beforehand, would he have assumed the person in those photos was her? She could remain unexplained to anyone, yet she couldn’t afford to do the same with him.

However, even if she hadn’t spoken up, Hu Jiaojiao’s schemes wouldn’t have succeeded, because Mu Shuoqian had known the truth from the beginning.

Biting her chopsticks, she curiously eyed the man eating: "Mu Shuoqian, did you know me from a long time ago?"

Otherwise, why would he be so knowledgeable about her affairs? After all, no one would bother finding out whether she had a twin sister or not.

Mu Shuoqian put a piece of rib into her bowl: "Eat more meat, you’ve lost weight."

Gu Qili, not giving up, ignored the rib and continued to bite her chopsticks, her voice muffled as she pressed on: "Tell me, have you been watching me for a long time? How long has it been, three years? Two years? Or when?"

The thought that he had been observing her for all these years without her knowledge felt both sweet and slightly creepy; it turned out someone had been watching her in secret for so long, and she had been completely clueless.

In the face of her eager desire to know, Mu Shuoqian simply said: "Even earlier."

Even earlier?

Gu Qili tilted her head, her eyes almost reaching the ceiling as she pondered, her eyeballs rolling: how much earlier could it be, was it when she was in high school?

But as far as she could remember, she had never interacted with Mu Shuoqian, not even at upper-class social gatherings, where she had never encountered him.

"No one else will ever see those photos and videos again." Mu Shuoqian put another rib onto her plate, as she had been working hard recently and developed an allergy, making her significantly thinner.

Hearing him speak so nonchalantly, Gu Qili’s mouth dropped open in surprise, unable to hide her excitement: "Really? What method did you use?"

He lifted his deep, dark eyes, his gaze softened with tenderness only she was privileged to see, and the chandelier’s light refracted in his eyes, shining brightly, making him look especially reliable: "Just some little tricks."

Mu Shuoqian had done so many things for her in the background, and those who had offended her always faced retribution suddenly one day. However, for Hu Jiaojiao, it seemed he had always been reluctant to move against her.

Mu Shuoqian is not a vicious tyrant. Though wealthy, he doesn’t use his financial advantage to commit murder or arson. His revenge methods are sophisticated. To be precise, unless you’ve done something utterly immoral and illegal, even if he wanted to, he couldn’t find a handle on you.

Gu Qili kept her gaze fixed on him. Though silent, it seemed he had already guessed everything that was on her mind.

After leisurely swallowing the mouthful of ribs, he finally lifted his eyes to her and said casually, "I thought you could have shredded that sort of trash with your own hands."

Gu Qili burst into laughter at his remark, flashed a V-sign at him and replied with an authentic Beijing accent, "You just watch, dear."

Playing the tiger but mistaking her for Doraemon?

"By the way, my Level Eight certificate is ready." Gu Qili hurriedly shovelled food into her mouth. "I need to make a trip back to school soon."

"Regret it?" Mu Shuoqian finished eating and was staring at her keenly.

"Can’t say I regret it, but I do feel a little bit of a loss." Her initial dream was hinged on that certificate, but now, that dream had become somewhat hazy. Her current job was flourishing, and she was full of hope for the future. Actually, abandoning a dream is simple—quickly find a loftier one.

"Keep it as a memento; I like to collect various certificates. You’ve never seen my box, stuffed full with certificates, some of which even I can’t remember when I got them."

As Gu Qili spoke, a call suddenly came through to Mu Shuoqian’s phone. He glanced at the caller and picked up, speaking briefly. Without putting down the phone, he turned to Gu Qili, who was intently eating, and said, "Luo Shangqing has found a reliable person, and in a few days, he’ll take you for a check-up and plan out a specific treatment."

Gu Qili knew he was referring to her alcohol allergy. She hummed in acknowledgment and smiled at him, "I trust Luo the Monster."

She added softly, "I trust you even more."

Mu Shuoqian’s gaze instantly softened, and he patted the back of her hand across the table. Although he said nothing, Gu Qili felt a surge of encouragement.

～

Qi Meihui has been out of luck these days. Her husband, Mu Hewen, was ordered to stay at home for self-reflection. Her least favorite sister-in-law unexpectedly leapt from being a simple waitress to the restaurant’s supervisor.

Arguing with her first thing in the morning, the young girl silenced her with sound logic, and Qi Meihui could feel that the restaurant staff were all leaning towards Gu Qili, whose popularity was rising by the day.

If this continues, she might be replaced, and then she and her husband would have even less say.

Qi Meihui sat on the chair sulking, idly picking up the files on the table to read. Just as she flipped to the first page, a slip fell out.

She opened it without much thought, her mind preoccupied with Mu Hewen. Back when she married into the Mu Family, the Qi Family had strongly facilitated the union. Who wouldn’t want to tie the knot with such an affluent household? After meeting the handsome and well-spoken Mu Hewen a few times, she agreed to her family’s arrangement for a business marriage.

Post-marriage, Mu Hewen performed acceptably, obeying her every wish. When they had a daughter, her focus shifted away from him, and she saw his true colors: an idle playboy who was neither clever nor ambitious. During her years with the Mu Family, she watched as Mu Shuoqian took control of half of the Mu estate while her husband remained utterly useless.

How could she not feel resentment?

Looking at the unfolded slip in her hand, Qi Meihui scanned it absentmindedly. However, she quickly refocused, taking a harder look at the crease-worn paper that looked as if it had been crumpled and discarded.

Having been pregnant and given birth herself, she understood it was an ultrasound scan. This woman, Hu Jiaojiao, was already over two months pregnant.

She sifted through the restaurant staff in her mind but couldn’t recall anyone named Hu Jiaojiao. Then, she noticed a pen-written phone number at the bottom of the slip.

This number... looked familiar, as if she had seen it not long ago.

That’s right, Mu Hewen was showering that day, his phone left outside, incessantly ringing. Annoyed by the disruption, she answered and was met with silence before the caller hung up. Puzzled, she took a longer look at the number.

Upon noticing several recent call logs with Mu Hewen, she intended to redial, but Mu Hewen came out, glanced at her with fleeting panic, naturally took the phone, and preempted her questions by telling her it was a client’s. He sounded sincere, so Qi Meihui believed him.

Now, this number combined with the ultrasound scan, she instantly connected the phone owner with the scan’s subject.

But she was clever, opting not to call straight away; she cautiously folded the slip, storing it in the innermost section of her purse.

A woman’s intuition told her, this scan appearing here was far more than just a simple ultrasound report.