Time flew by, and Cheng Zhanya was now five months pregnant.
Her belly had swelled like a balloon, expanding rapidly.
Her clothes could barely cover it anymore.
A heavy downpour hit one day, and the temperature plunged suddenly, catching everyone off guard.
Xiao Xiao had caught a cold.
She sniffed hard, her voice hoarse from the fever.
The usual chatterbox lay listlessly on her desk, her face full of exhaustion as she stared blankly into the distance.
Cheng Zhanya poured her a cup of hot water.
“Get some good rest,” she reminded her.
“Thanks, Sister,” Xiao Xiao croaked, her voice sounding like a duck’s quack.
Cheng Zhanya couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re welcome. Maybe talk a little less for now.”
“You’re sick of me!” Xiao Xiao pouted, her smile turning pitiful.
“I’m just worried about your throat,” Cheng Zhanya said innocently.
“Have you taken your medicine?”
“Yeah.”
No wonder Xiao Xiao was nodding off, drowsy from the meds.
As her pregnancy progressed, Cheng Zhanya’s belly had become impossible to ignore. Even under a jacket, the little bump poked out.
The baby had been especially active lately.
Particularly during the day.
It swam around inside her nonstop, occasionally stretching and leaving her with an aching back.
Fortunately, the morning sickness had all but vanished, making things a bit more bearable.
Her phone buzzed suddenly on the desk.
Cheng Zhanya glanced at it. When she saw the caller ID, her fingers paused mid-keystroke on the keyboard.
Yu Shujing.
Her ex-mother-in-law.
It had been ages since they’d spoken. Ever since that night when the family had urged her to have a child, Cheng Zhanya hadn’t reached out to anyone from the Lin Family.
Grandma had been so furious about her divorce from Lin Hanbing that she’d ended up in the hospital. Cheng Zhanya had only shown her face briefly and hadn’t stayed long.
Back then, fresh off the divorce, she’d resisted Lin Hanbing’s overtures. Any attempt at closeness or flattery left her at a loss for how to respond.
Plus, she was newly pregnant, dealing with all sorts of bodily upheavals.
Irritability, unease, inexplicable anxiety.
She simply hadn’t had the bandwidth to think about anyone else.
The Lin Family had always treated her well over the years, but that was only because she was Lin Hanbing’s wife.
In her mind, once she and Lin Hanbing divorced, the family would quietly accept her as a stranger.
Seeing Yu Shujing’s name on the call, Cheng Zhanya felt a flicker of surprise.
She hesitated for a moment before picking up the phone and stepping outside.
Out of habit, she murmured, “Mom.”
“Oh.” Yu Shujing sounded equally surprised. Cheng Zhanya was still calling her “Mom”—it meant she still held a place in her heart.
“Are you busy at work? I heard from Lele’s dad that Lele recently invested in a small studio.”
Yu Shujing’s tone carried a probing note. “Do you know about it?”
“I do,” Cheng Zhanya replied.
“It’s called Anwo, right?”
“Yes.”
Cheng Zhanya stared at her toes, not wanting Yu Shujing to keep probing. “Anwo—I’m actually working there right now.”
“I was just asking.” Yu Shujing paused. “Xiaoya, don’t be mad at Mom.”
Cheng Zhanya smiled. “I’m not mad.”
“Even though you and Lele are divorced, you’re still my daughter. That won’t change.”
“Lele was such a workaholic. It’s only natural you’d divorce her. Mom wanted to call you before, but my position made it awkward—I was afraid it’d bother you.”
“I’ve missed you so much lately that I couldn’t help myself. Don’t mind me calling.”
“How could I?” Cheng Zhanya said quickly. “It was our fault for not telling everyone right away.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Oh, don’t say that.”
Yu Shujing sighed. “It’s just that you two weren’t fated to be.”
“You haven’t come to see me and Grandma in so long. She’s been feeling better these past few days. Tomorrow’s Saturday—do you have time to come home for dinner with Lele?”
Tomorrow?
Cheng Zhanya glanced down at her belly.
The bulge was unmistakable to anyone paying attention. The Lin Family had seen her morning sickness before. If she agreed, it would mean announcing her pregnancy to everyone.
Yes, the Lin Family still had no idea she was pregnant.
Her relationship with Lin Hanbing had softened.
They got along harmoniously now.
She was even starting to enjoy Lin Hanbing’s care, as if they hadn’t divorced—as if they were back in the heat of their early romance.
But she couldn’t say yes.
For one, she was afraid of the pregnancy being discovered.
Second, she had a prenatal checkup scheduled for tomorrow.
Cheng Zhanya hesitated. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
“I have something tomorrow and can’t make it. Why don’t you ask Hanbing?”
Lin Hanbing had promised to go with her to the checkup.
She hadn’t missed either of the appointments since the first trimester.
At five months, her belly wasn’t so big that she couldn’t move easily, but she still craved Lin Hanbing’s company.
Just the thought of facing it without her tomorrow made Cheng Zhanya’s heart itch with unease, a hard-to-name sense of loss.
“If you come home, that child Lele will come too.”
Yu Shujing added, “She hasn’t been home in days. Have you two made up?”
Though Yu Shujing tried to rein it in, her voice betrayed her delight and hope.
Cheng Zhanya smiled and changed the subject. “Mom, I’m still at work. How about I pass the message on to Hanbing?”
Yu Shujing fell silent for a moment. “Alright, go ahead with your work.”
“I’ll call Lele.”
“Mom and Grandma miss you. We just want you to come back—or we could eat out if you don’t want to come home.”
“I’ll definitely visit you and Grandma when I have time,” Cheng Zhanya said politely.
“Then it’s settled.”
“Okay,” Cheng Zhanya agreed.
She ended the call feeling utterly drained, though it had only lasted a few minutes.
She didn’t know how to handle this relationship.
The elders’ expectations weighed too heavily on her, just like the pressure to have a child back then.
She returned to her seat and sank down, her eyes vacant.
Xiao Xiao scooted over, concern etched on her face. “What’s wrong?”
Cheng Zhanya shook her head. “Nothing.”
“But your face looks awful.”
“Is the baby kicking again?”
Cheng Zhanya touched her cheek and forced some energy into her expression. Playing along, she said, “Yeah, she’s always wriggling around.”
Xiao Xiao marveled. “The baby’s that active already, even this small?”
“Yep.”
Cheng Zhanya smiled. Glancing up absentmindedly, she saw Lin Hanbing’s office door swing open.
Her smile faltered. Thinking of Yu Shujing’s words, she guessed Lin Hanbing must have gotten the call.
Sure enough.
Lin Hanbing emerged and looked straight at her.
Their eyes met briefly before Cheng Zhanya lowered her gaze, lost in thought.
Xiao Xiao, sitting close, picked up on Cheng Zhanya’s shift in mood. When she spotted Lin Hanbing, her heart skipped a beat.
She wheeled her chair back to her station in a flash.
She even sneaked another peek afterward.
Lin Hanbing paid her no mind.
Her focus was entirely on Cheng Zhanya.
She had indeed gotten her mother’s call and learned that Mom had reached out to Cheng Zhanya. Her heart had clenched.
She worried the family would pressure her wife.
Seeing Cheng Zhanya’s pallor told her everything.
Unlike Cheng Zhanya’s hesitation, Lin Hanbing refused outright.
Tomorrow, she had to accompany her wife to the prenatal checkup.
Her wife wasn’t ready to go public with the pregnancy, so all Lin Hanbing could do was support her and guard the secret quietly.
Spending these days by Cheng Zhanya’s side had shown her how much she’d already missed.
She didn’t want to miss any more.
She didn’t want to miss their time together.
She didn’t want to miss a single second of nurturing the baby with her wife.
Only by looking at Cheng Zhanya did it feel real.
She walked slowly behind Cheng Zhanya, ignoring Xiao Xiao’s shocked and nervous expression, and murmured softly, “Yaya, come to my office.”
Xiao Xiao felt like she’d overheard something monumental.
Yaya?
Was that Sister Cheng Zhanya’s nickname?!
It was awfully cute.
And President Lin was stunning up close—she’d never been this near Lin Hanbing before.
The impact hit harder than from afar.
Xiao Xiao had always thought her beautiful, but this close, her skin was flawless—glowing white, poreless, not a single freckle.
Xiao Xiao was officially jealous.
To think this beauty was her idol’s ex-wife—it only deepened her admiration for her idol’s work.
Cheng Zhanya’s art had a soft style, with solid skills.
She could picture the comic interactions between Lin Hanbing and Cheng Zhanya. So sweet.
She could ship them forever.
She hoped they’d remarry soon!
They were perfect together—this was her first real-life CP.
Cheng Zhanya was still a bit dazed.
She hadn’t expected Lin Hanbing to use her nickname right there in the office.
Her cheeks heated up. Without even looking, she felt Xiao Xiao’s burning stare.
Xiao Xiao knew about her and Lin Hanbing.
She was sure Xiao Xiao wouldn’t blab.
But for some reason, it still felt awkward—like she was being watched, a prickling shame.
Resigned, Cheng Zhanya stood. As she passed Xiao Xiao’s desk, she poked her shoulder with a wry smile, urging her to dial back the gossip-face.
Xiao Xiao stifled a giggle, pressing her head to the desk. She turned and mouthed silently with an encouraging thumbs-up: You got this!
Cheng Zhanya understood and nearly burst out laughing in exasperation.
What was there to “got this” about?
She suddenly regretted telling Xiao Xiao about Lin Hanbing. Was it too late to silence her now?
Frowning with helpless amusement in her eyes, Cheng Zhanya entered Lin Hanbing’s office. The door clicked shut behind her, and the blinds dropped, sealing off all outside eyes.
“Mom called you?”
Lin Hanbing cut straight to it.
Cheng Zhanya nodded with a soft “mm.”
“You don’t need to worry—I already turned it down.”
Lin Hanbing watched her, tentatively hooking a finger around hers. When her wife didn’t pull away, she relaxed and said gently, “If Mom calls again and you don’t want to pick up, just don’t. I don’t want you feeling pressured.”
“What matters more to me now is how you feel. Got it?”
Lin Hanbing had always respected her.
She could feel it.
Even after the divorce, when she’d repeatedly pushed her away, that’s when she’d realized just how stubborn Lin Hanbing could be.
About keeping her distance, anyway.
Lin Hanbing always pushed back. She never once succeeded.
She knew why.
And she was enjoying everything that reason brought—the joy, the emotional fulfillment. She had to admit, Lin Hanbing had always given her that in spades.
“Got it,” Cheng Zhanya said, nodding.
Lin Hanbing had been at Anwo for nearly two months now. They spent their days together with little talk of private matters at work.
But Cheng Zhanya felt her care.
It touched her heart, though she didn’t show it.
Since Lin Hanbing had brought up personal stuff, Cheng Zhanya didn’t hold back her own desires.
“Will you still come with me to the checkup tomorrow?”
“Of course, I can’t miss any of the prenatal checkups.” Lin Hanbing stared at her belly, her expression softening even more. “I won’t miss any of the future ones either.”
Cheng Zhanya chuckled. “Alright.”
“President Lin, then I’ll head out first.”
She withdrew the hand that Lin Hanbing had warmed, cheerfully reminding her, “There are still two hours until we get off work.”
Lin Hanbing grabbed her hand again and rubbed it. “Your hands are cold. Let me rub them some more.”
Cheng Zhanya: “This isn’t appropriate, is it, President Lin!”
“Suitable.”
Couldn’t be more suitable.
Cheng Zhanya found it amusing, but still withdrew her hand.
She walked up to Lin Hanbing, leaned close to her ear, and whispered softly, “Help me rub it again when we get home tonight.”
