Chapter 1: You’re Not Even Half as Good as Her
“Young lady, congratulations!”
“You’re five weeks pregnant.”
Yeyun Ye’s heart skipped a beat. How could this be…
“Didn’t your husband accompany you?”
How ironic it was to describe her relationship with Xiuqi Chi as husband and wife. They were merely enemies bound by a legal marriage.
After much thought, Yeyun Ye said sadly, “Doctor, I want an abortion.”
“Your body… if you have an abortion, you’ll never be able to conceive again. You need to think carefully.”
Confused and dazed, Yeyun Ye left the hospital and got into a taxi parked by the roadside.
Inside her belly was Xiuqi Chi’s child, the child of the man she had loved since she was a student.
But Xiuqi Chi had never loved her; he loved her sister, Jingxian Xiang.
They grew up together in an orphanage. Her sister was adopted and changed her surname, leaving Yeyun Ye to grow up alone in the orphanage.
Three years ago, Jingxian Xiang had a traffic accident and was injured herself. She fled abroad to avoid scrutiny.
The Xiang Family, with no other choice, found Yeyun Ye to marry in her sister’s place. Yeyun Ye achieved her wish, but all she faced was the man who had always loved her sister.
Now that she was pregnant, she felt no joy at all.
Xiuqi Chi would not keep this child.
As she climbed the stairs, Yeyun Ye noticed the door was ajar, with wisps of smoke seeping out.
Xiuqi Chi was here.
He came because he missed Jingxian. He would leave after they were done, never staying the night.
Adjusting her emotions at the doorway, she put on a faint smile and opened the door.
“Xiuqi, you’re here.”
“Jingxian is coming back.”
He paused, his gaze falling on the flustered woman. “We can get a divorce.”
Yeyun Ye swayed, wanting to laugh but unable to.
“Why? We look exactly the same, so why do you only love my sister?”
She stared at Xiuqi Chi and asked softly, tears streaming down her face.
“Yeyun Ye, you should know that it’s not just Jingxian’s face I love, but her entirety. You’ve been impersonating Jingxian for me for three years. I can grant you one reasonable request. Money, a house, a car, anything.”
“I want you to love me.”
Yeyun Ye gazed at him with reluctance, tightly gripping Xiuqi Chi’s hand.
For some reason, the scent of the woman’s body as she drew near stirred a desire in Xiuqi Chi.
Irritated, he tore off his tie, gripped Yeyun Ye’s arm, and abruptly stood up, pulling her towards the bedroom.
“Ha, don’t be so fake. Isn’t this what you wanted? Just like that night three years ago when you drugged me?”
Realizing what Xiuqi Chi was about to do, her heart tightened.
*Now that she was pregnant, she couldn’t risk it.*
“Xiuqi, no!”
Yeyun Ye tried to push Xiuqi Chi away, struggling against him.
It was the first time Xiuqi Chi had seen Yeyun Ye resist like this. She had never fought back before, and he grew increasingly agitated.
Why should Yeyun Ye refuse him?
“Don’t play hard to get with me. You know I don’t fall for that.”
Yeyun Ye resisted fiercely. She knew Xiuqi Chi had no self-control, and she feared she wouldn’t be able to protect the child…
“Xiuqi, please, don’t!”
The only response to Yeyun Ye’s plea was the man’s magnetic growl…
After a long while.
“Ring, ring, ring…”
An untimely phone ring echoed in the room.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be right there. Wait for me, my dear!”
His words were filled with a tension Yeyun Ye had never seen before, the tension of someone worried about their beloved.
From the moment the phone rang, Xiuqi Chi hadn’t spared her another glance.
Hearing Xiuqi Chi leave, Yeyun Ye carefully held her belly, tidying up the messy room and herself.
Finally, while showering, she covered her face and sobbed.
Yeyun Ye slept poorly that night, having dreams all night.
She dreamt that Xiuqi Chi left her, and she couldn’t save the child.
At the thought of this, Yeyun Ye suddenly woke up, gasping for air.
The child!
She felt something unusual below.
Hospital, emergency room.
“Didn’t you tell your husband you were pregnant?”
“The early stages of pregnancy are the most unstable. How could you engage in intense intercourse! And your physical condition is already poor, and you’re anemic. This is simply reckless!”
The doctor scolded her a few times, then asked, “Are you alone again today?”
Yeyun Ye gave a bitter smile. Xiuqi Chi was about to become someone else’s husband.
Yeyun Ye wanted to ask a few more questions but received a call from Xiuqi Chi.
“Come back and pack your things.”
“Xiuqi…”
After hanging up, Yeyun Ye rushed home from the hospital. As soon as she arrived, she saw Xiuqi Chi sitting on the sofa, waiting for her expressionlessly.
She changed her shoes and sat beside Xiuqi Chi, remembering what he had said on the phone: “You just said you want me to move out?”
Xiuqi Chi smelled the strong scent of disinfectant on her and frowned. “You went to the hospital?”
“Yes.” Yeyun Ye was overwhelmed by his sudden concern.
“What is this?”
Yeyun Ye had rushed in, placing her bag carelessly on the coffee table. The bag was now askew, revealing half of a report.
Xiuqi Chi saw the sonogram.
“You’re pregnant?” Xiuqi Chi looked at Yeyun Ye’s belly.
He picked up the report and found several sanitary pads in the bag. He chuckled, “I never imagined you’d forge a report just to avoid a divorce.”
Xiuqi Chi didn’t allow Yeyun Ye to explain, immediately condemning her.
Yeyun Ye knew that even if she told Xiuqi Chi the truth, he wouldn’t keep the child. So, Yeyun Ye decided to accept the fabricated accusation.
“Xiuqi, I… I don’t want a divorce.”
This was clearly within Xiuqi Chi’s expectations. He sneered, “I’ll give you three days to pack your things and leave as soon as possible.”
Then he stood up and adjusted his clothes. “I’ll have my lawyer handle the divorce proceedings entirely.”
Yeyun Ye watched his retreating figure, a deep sense of longing and reluctance rising from the bottom of her heart.
She involuntarily hugged Xiuqi Chi from behind.
“Xiuqi, I don’t expect you to love me, just don’t leave me…”
The moment she hugged him, Xiuqi Chi threw her off. Unsteady, Yeyun Ye fell to the ground.
Xiuqi Chi paused, clearly surprised that she had fallen.
“Yeyun Ye, this will only make me dislike you more. It’s useless.”
Just as she was about to plead again, another voice spoke before hers.
“Sister… what’s wrong? Why are you with Xiuqi…? Didn’t you know he and I have been in love for years?”
Jingxian Xiang appeared at the doorway at some unknown time, speaking with a feigned surprise.
“Jingxian Xiang, Xiuqi is my husband now. Can you please give him back to me?” Yeyun Ye said with difficulty.
