Power and Wealth

Evening. Beijing.

The sun is setting, and the sky is turning dark.

A Mercedes MPV speed like a raging lion on the road and overtakes all the cars in front of it. Beijing has lots of restrictions on its traffic. For example, speed limits on certain roads, odd and even number plates restrictions, vehicles from other provinces are not allowed to enter the inner rings, etc. Dong Xuebing displayed the Beijing Party Committee Quarters entry permit to prevent unnecessary delays, given to him by Xie Huilan, on his windshield. The traffic police seldom will stop vehicles with such permits.

The Mercedes MPV comes to a screeching stop at a small housing estate.

The residents were shocked. Dong Xuebing quickly alighted and ran up the stairs.

First floor… second floor… third floor…

It took Dong Xuebing only around six to seven seconds to get to the third floor.

Dong Xuebing reached out to press the doorbell but hesitated. This is Qu Yunxuan's parents' apartment, and Qu Yunxuan should be having her dinner here. Once the door is opened, Dong Xuebing can see Aunt Xuan, and he will know everything. But Dong Xuebing hesitated. What Qu Yunxuan's parents told him had made him mad. Aunt Xuan is pregnant with someone else's child?! This is a heavy blow to Dong Xuebing, and he could not think straight.

One second…

Five seconds…

Ten seconds….

Dong Xuebing gritted his teeth and pressed on the doorbell. Ding dong… ding dong… ding dong…

After a while, the door opened. Aunt Xuan's mother was shocked to see Dong Xuebing. "Xiao Bing? Why are you here?"

Dong Xuebing quickly look into the apartment. "Where is Aunt Xuan? Is she in?"

"She…" Qu Yunxuan's mother stuttered and don't know if she should allow Dong Xuebing to enter.

Dong Xuebing could smell food from the apartment. They should either be dining or had just finished dinner. He knew Aunt Xuan must be at home, and forcefully pushed the door open. He did not even change into slippers and barged into the apartment. Qu Yunxuan's father is in the living room, and Dong Xuebing could hear someone washing dishes in the kitchen.

"Qu Yunxuan!" Dong Xuebing shouted.

The sound of washing dishes stopped, and Qu Yunxuan ran out from the kitchen. "Xiao Bing? When did you come back?"

Qu Yunxuan's mother panicked and quickly stepped in front of Qu Yunxuan. "Xiao Bing, calm down. Don't be so agitated." She is afraid Dong Xuebing will beat up her daughter.

Dong Xuebing pants and stared at Qu Yunxuan in her eyes.

Qu Yunxuan's face changed and touched her tummy unconsciously. "Dad, Mum, did you all tell Xiao Bing?"

Qu Yunxuan's mother grumbled. "It's your dad who told him. This old man!"

Dong Xuebing saw Aunt Xuan is wearing a light color sweater and a pair of black leggings. Her baggy sweater covers her tummy, but he can clearly see her tummy is slightly bigger than the last time he saw her. Her figure is still the same, and only her tummy is slightly bigger. This means she is really pregnant.

Dong Xuebing suppressed his anger. "What is going on?!"

Qu Yunxuan looked at Dong Xuebing and sat down on a chair without saying a word.

Bam! Qu Yunxuan's father banged on the table and stared at his daughter. "Are you still going to keep quiet now?! Ah?! Xiao Bing is here today! Just tell us who is the father of your baby!"

Qu Yunxuan forced a smile. "You all had passed the judgment. What else do you all want me to say?"

Dong Xuebing shouted. "Qu Yunxuan!"

Qu Yunxuan's mother also stared at her daughter and sighed.

Qu Yunxuan is mad and walks over to her handbag on the sofa and took out the medical report. She threw it on the table and returned to her bedroom.

Qu Yunxuan's father scolded. "You still dare to throw tantrums?! Ah?!"

Qu Yunxuan quickly snatched the piece of paper. "This is the medical report I saw the other day. She… huh?" Qu Yunxuan's mother paused as she read the report closely. "I had only taken a glance the last time, and Yunxuan snatched it away. This… the result states she is two months pregnant… and she should be three months pregnant today!"

Dong Xuebing and Qu Yunxuan's father quickly walk over to look at the report.

"Give it to me!" Qu Yunxuan's father snatched the report from his wife. He read it and scolded. "You bitch! You didn't read it carefully and jumped to conclusions!"

Qu Yunxuan's mother stared at her husband. "Yunxuan had snatched the report from me, and I didn't see the date clearly."

Qu Yunxuan's father scolded. "You just can't do anything right!"

Dong Xuebing quickly take the report from Qu Yunxuan's father. He sighed. "This is a false alarm." Qu Yunxuan is less than three months pregnant, and Dong Xuebing was in Beijing during that time. This means the baby is his.

Qu Yunxuan's mother replied apologetically. "It's all because Yunxuan tried to hide it from us and caused this misunderstanding." She suddenly remembered something. "Two months ago, Yunxuan had missed her period as she thought it was because she was busy with work. She even asked me to get some medicine from the hospital. After that, I did not ask her about it, and she might have forgotten about it. She must have got for a checkup a while ago when she remembered it. Sigh… how come I did not remember about this?" This is not really Qu Yunxuan's mother's fault. Most pregnancy tests are for pregnancy that occurs on the same or previous month. Very seldom, people will test for pregnancy two months later. That's why Qu Yunxuan's mother assumed Qu Yunxuan got pregnant last month.

Dong Xuebing was relieved to know this is a false alarm.

Qu Yunxuan's mother grumbled. "But why didn't this girl explain herself and still don't allow us to tell Xiao Bing?"

Dong Xuebing knew the reason. Qu Yunxuan, Xie Huilan, and Dong Xuebing had a five-year pact, and he must get married to Xie Huilan first. Maybe Aunt Xuan is afraid Dong Xuebing does not want to keep this baby and wanted her to abort it. That's why she decided to give birth to the baby without telling him.

Dong Xuebing quickly walks to the bedroom and knocks on the door.

"Aunt Xuan? Yunxuan? Err… Can I enter?"

"……." Qu Yunxuan did not reply, and the door is not locked.

Dong Xuebing smiled and entered the room.

The room's lights are on, and Qu Yunxuan is lying on her bed, reading an economics book. She read the book quietly, ignoring Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing closed the door behind him and smiled. "Aunt Xuan, what are you reading?"

Qu Yunxuan continued to ignore him.

"Errrmmm…." Dong Xuebing sat down on the bed. "Are you angry with me?"

Qu Yunxuan remained quiet.

Dong Xuebing apologized. "Aunt Xuan, it's not that I don't trust you. It's because Uncle and Auntie… The last time we met was more than two months ago, and you are pregnant suddenly. That's why I… Sigh… I'm sorry." Dong Xuebing snatched the book from Qu Yunxuan and placed it on the table. After that, he pulled Qu Yunxuan's hand to his face. "Here… if you are still angry, you can beat me up."

Qu Yunxuan gave Dong Xuebing an angry stare and pulled his ear hard.

Dong Xuebing felt the pain. "Not so hard… not so hard… it's painful."

"You will be the death of me!" Qu Yunxuan pinched Dong Xuebing's arm. "I finally know how imaginative you all are. I have a baby with someone else?! Who?! Ah?! Who do you think I will have a baby with?!"

Dong Xuebing quickly apologized. "It's a misunderstanding…"

Qu Yunxuan glared at Dong Xuebing and rubbed her tummy.

"Don't be angry. It's all my fault. You know that I am rash and impulsive. I acted this way is because I care for you." Dong Xuebing knew Qu Yunxuan is soft-hearted and tried to use sweet nothings to appease her. "Aunt Xuan, let's not talk about this anymore, ok? Let me take a closer look at you. It's been two months since we met. Hehe… you are prettier, and your complexion is better now."

Qu Yunxuan laughed and poked Dong Xuebing's head. "Idiot! You only know how to say things to make me happy."

Dong Xuebing laughed and held Qu Yunxuan's hand.

"Actually, I also cannot blame you." Qu Yunxuan stroked Dong Xuebing's face. "I had been very busy with the auction company, and I thought I missed my period because of work stress. I took some medications and forgotten all about it. I only remembered about it last month." Qu Yunxuan paused for a second and continued. "I did not inform you is because I have decided what to do now. If I keep the baby…"

Dong Xuebing interrupted. "Keep it! We must keep this baby!"

Qu Yunxuan looks at Dong Xuebing. "Are you serious?"

"Of course. How can we not keep our baby?"

Qu Yunxuan looked at Dong Xuebing gently and lowered her head to kiss him. "I had chosen the right man. I will give birth to the baby then."

Dong Xuebing nodded. After a long pause, he said. "Our marriage…"

Qu Yunxuan pinched Dong Xuebing's cheeks. "Don't worry about this. I will tell my parents that it is not suitable for you to get married so young because of your work. After the five-year pact with Huilan is over…" She rubbed her tummy. "We will be together. Don't over imagine things, as a few years will pass in a blink of an eye. Furthermore, it's not like I cannot meet you during your marriage with Xie Huilan."

"… thank you."

"I should be the one thanking you for giving me this cute baby. Hahaha…"