Chapter 47: Reunion

“I’m sorry, Ya’er.”

“I couldn’t keep your secret safe.”

Fan Yaobai looked utterly exhausted, her hair disheveled. It was clear she’d been run off her feet but had finally carved out a moment to send this hurried video call.

“Your situation is just too unique. I couldn’t find anyone to help, and I was so worried.”

“Please don’t blame me.”

Cheng Zhanya shook her head and smiled. “How could I blame you? If you hadn’t told Lin Hanbing, I might have fried my brain by now.”

“I can’t thank you enough.”

She filled Fan Yaobai in on everything that had happened over the past few days, including Lin Hanbing’s sudden drop-in to Anwo.

A little later, Cheng Zhanya added, “Even if you hadn’t called her that day, she would’ve found out eventually.”

“Thanks to you, Baby’s fine, and so am I.”

“As long as you don’t blame me, that’s good enough.”

That day really had caught everyone off guard. The utter helplessness of being too far away to help still burned fresh in her mind.

She hadn’t kept her promise.

But she didn’t regret it one bit.

If anything had happened to Cheng Zhanya or her baby, that would’ve been regret enough to last a lifetime.

Resent her, hate her—it didn’t matter.

She’d had no other choice.

Her only option had been the most dependable person she knew: Lin Hanbing.

Thank goodness she’d left that spare key.

After hanging up with her friend, Cheng Zhanya let out a long, heavy breath.

She pulled open the door and caught the murmur of voices from the living room.

Her steps faltered for a second before she stepped out.

Lin Hanbing spotted her and promptly ended her call.

“Do you have something you need to handle?” Cheng Zhanya asked.

She quickly added, “Go take care of it. Don’t worry about me.”

“Not busy at all.”

“It was Mom on the phone.”

For a split second, Cheng Zhanya wasn’t sure which “mom” Lin Hanbing meant. She hesitated, curiosity flickering, but bit her tongue.

“Will you let me go back with you for Mid-Autumn?”

Lin Hanbing continued, “Mom doesn’t know about the divorce yet, right?”

“Back to Luoguang City?”

They’d been married for more than five years now, and Cheng Zhanya saw no reason to correct Lin Hanbing’s familiar way of addressing her mother.

Lin Hanbing had always respected Yang Meijing. Back when work hadn’t consumed her every waking hour, she’d often made the trip to Luoguang City just to spend time with her.

Some bonds had frayed, but the affection lingered.

If Lin Hanbing wanted to keep calling her that, fine by her.

“Yeah,” Lin Hanbing said. “Mom mentioned it’s been ages since she last saw me.”

“My mom called you?” Cheng Zhanya caught on, her brows knitting slightly. “Why on earth would she call you?”

“Your phone was busy,” Lin Hanbing explained.

“Oh.”

Cheng Zhanya remembered hearing a brief chime earlier. A quick check of her social apps revealed a missed voice message from her mother.

“Mom wants me to go home with you for Mid-Autumn,” Lin Hanbing repeated.

“You said yes?”

Lin Hanbing nodded.

Cheng Zhanya nodded too, giving her assent.

A brief silence settled between them. Then Cheng Zhanya blurted, “About the pregnancy…”

“You don’t want to tell her?”

“I don’t know how to even bring it up.” Cheng Zhanya reached for Fan Jiujiu. “Let’s hold off for now.”

“Okay. Whenever you’re ready.”

Lin Hanbing respected her decision.

“Baby… have you thought about names yet?” Lin Hanbing settled beside her, careful to leave a bit of space, wary of making her wife uncomfortable. “Can I pitch in?”

“Sure, you can help,” Cheng Zhanya said without hesitation. “But the final call is mine.”

“Of course.”

Cheng Zhanya had taken a few days to rest and was feeling much better.

Come Monday, she was back at work.

Lin Hanbing handled the driving.

To dodge any office gossip, Cheng Zhanya hopped out a short distance from the building.

Lin Hanbing grumbled about it but couldn’t change her mind.

With her strength returning, so did Cheng Zhanya’s good spirits. While poring over scripts that afternoon, inspiration hit like lightning. She sketched out drafts for two whole chapters.

She fired them off to her team lead and earned a hearty thumbs-up.

Mid-Autumn bonus update? Locked in.

Beautiful Times was crushing it in the metrics, and her teammates adored her easygoing vibe. The group chat buzzed with playful jabs, urging her to whip up a bonus side story.

Cheng Zhanya fired back a string of cute stickers and called it a day.

Mid-Autumn holiday arrived in no time.

The company shut down for three blissful days, auto-updates queued up, and the team scattered for fun.

Mid-Autumn Reunion Festival.

For anyone with time off, it was a mad dash back to family.

Those too far to make the trek just made do with colleague hangouts.

Fan Yaobai rolled into South City late that night.

She swung by Lin Hanbing’s place to collect her furry little one and nearly choked when she heard they were heading home together.

Seizing the moment while Lin Hanbing fetched water, Fan Yaobai grabbed her hand. “You two patched things up already?”

That quick?

Way too fast.

“We never fought,” Cheng Zhanya said, all innocence. “What’s there to patch?”

Fan Yaobai shot her a look. “You know exactly what I mean.”

Cheng Zhanya laughed softly and dropped the teasing.

“She suggested remarrying,” she murmured. “I’m not ready.”

Fan Yaobai pressed her lips together in approval. “Good for you. Keep her on her toes.”

“Make sure she never takes you for granted again.”

The future?

That could wait.

For now, Cheng Zhanya was savoring the present.

She patted her belly and smiled down at it.

Tsk.

Fan Yaobai rolled her eyes.

But deep down, she was thrilled for her friend—more than anyone.

Cheng Zhanya had plenty of clothes. She’d taken her everyday favorites during the divorce, and the apartment still held plenty more. No need for a detour to Fan Yaobai’s place.

Lin Hanbing handed Fan Yaobai a glass of water before ducking into the bedroom to pack.

The two friends huddled together, whispering for ages.

It was nearing midnight when Lin Hanbing poked her head out. Time for bed.

Fan Yaobai scooped up Fan Jiujiu with a pout and headed out.

“Drive safe.”

“Have fun, you two.”

Fan Yaobai climbed into the taxi but slid the window down for one last wink at Cheng Zhanya. “Hanbing’s finally got time for you. Make the most of it.”

“Pretend it’s a family-of-three getaway.”

Cheng Zhanya shook her head in exasperation, offering only a wave as her friend pulled away.

“Enjoy it all!”

“…”

Once Fan Yaobai was gone, an arm slipped around Cheng Zhanya’s shoulders.

She twisted away gently. “Get some sleep. You’ve got a long drive tomorrow.”

“I’m in no rush,” Lin Hanbing said.

They returned to the apartment together. Cheng Zhanya headed straight to her room, shutting the door with a decisive click of the lock.

Lin Hanbing touched her nose, well aware she’d earned that.

A few days earlier, Cheng Zhanya had dozed off without locking up. A breeze nudged the door ajar, and through the gap, Lin Hanbing had glimpsed her peaceful sleeping face. Unable to resist, she’d slipped inside.

One chaste kiss.

No stirring.

Emboldened, she’d gone deeper.

That had jolted Cheng Zhanya awake, catching her red-handed.

Lin Hanbing could still picture her wife’s face, flushed bright as a cooked prawn, frozen in shock for ages.

“What are you doing?!”

“Kissing you.”

Lin Hanbing owned it boldly, stealing another before a fuming Cheng Zhanya shoved her out.

She chuckled at the memory.

Drawing close to the door, she murmured, “Good night, Yaya.”

“Good night, Baby.”

Lin Hanbing’s voice, soft and tingling, sent a sudden flush through Cheng Zhanya.

What the hell?

She’d never felt this way before.

Cheng Zhanya tossed and turned in bed, wide awake for what felt like forever. Maybe it was the excitement of heading home tomorrow.

She fretted over whether her family would pick up on anything.

Should she come clean about the divorce?

The Lins already knew. Was it fair to keep her own family in the dark?

For now, like this.

Deal with it later.

Exhaustion finally claimed her late into the night. She slept dreamlessly.

The annual Mid-Autumn trek home turned into a parking lot.

What should’ve been three hours stretched into a grueling eight.

Cheng Zhanya dozed off and on.

She threw up twice along the way.

By the time they reached Luoguang City, she was completely drained.

Her barely four-month bump was still invisible under a light jacket.

She clung to Lin Hanbing as they walked, breathing ragged, legs like jelly. The world felt hazy, like she was drifting.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

Yang Meijing had known her daughter was due back today. She’d headed out early for groceries and bumped right into them.

Her daughter was draped delicately over Lin Hanbing.

Drawing closer, she spotted Cheng Zhanya’s pallor and fussed immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Mom.”

Lin Hanbing said, “Yaya gets carsick.”

“Carsick?”

“She never used to,” Yang Meijing fretted, frowning as she juggled her bags and reached to support her daughter, easing the load off Lin Hanbing.

Cheng Zhanya felt too wretched to even greet her mother properly and let herself be helped.

“Mom, I’ve got her.”

“She’s a grown woman—how are you supposed to manage alone?” Yang Meijing grumbled, jabbing the elevator button. “Nannan’s back too. She’s holed up in her room gaming right now.”

“I should’ve dragged her out with me.”

The elevator dinged at their floor. Cheng Zhanya’s arms looped around Lin Hanbing’s neck as a soft whimper escaped her.

Yang Meijing stifled a grin at the couple’s affection and unlocked the door first. “Take your time. I’ll get dinner started.”

“Got it, Mom,” Lin Hanbing replied.

With a helpless sigh, Lin Hanbing scooped an arm around her wife’s waist and inched them inside.

Yang Meijing had tidied their room ages ago, keeping it spotless and fresh.

She eased Cheng Zhanya onto the bed, gently removing her jacket and shoes before tucking the covers snugly around her. Only then did she step out.

Cheng Cainan’s door stood half-open, game audio and lively teammate chatter spilling out. Lin Hanbing opted not to interrupt her sister-in-law and headed to the kitchen instead.

“Mom, let me help.”

“Wonderful, dear.”

It had been too long since Yang Meijing had seen Lin Hanbing, and she was eager for a catch-up.

How was her family doing?

What about her and her daughter?

All of it.

Twilight’s orange glow painted the sky as they chatted away. Dusk deepened outside.

Cheng Zhanya bolted awake, a day’s worth of nausea crashing over her. Before her brain caught up, her body was already bolting for the bathroom.

“Urgh!”

The gut-wrenching retch echoed from the toilet. Lin Hanbing’s heart lurched. She dropped what she was holding and dashed over.

There was her wife, hunched over the bowl, heaving up every bit of road food.

Nearly four months along—why was it still this bad?

Lin Hanbing rubbed her back, brow furrowed. She’d read the books; most pregnancies settled after the first trimester.

Is it because of her constitution?

Cheng Zhanya vomited until her face turned pale once again.

“Mm…”

The person in her arms let out a low whimper.

Yang Meijing, who had also hurried over upon hearing the commotion and was a mother herself, spotted the signs immediately.

“Lele, be honest with Mom. Is Xiaoya pregnant?”

Cheng Zhanya’s mind buzzed. She gripped Lin Hanbing’s wrist tightly and kept her head lowered, her expression hidden from view.

Lin Hanbing knew there was no hiding it now. She gently patted the back of Cheng Zhanya’s hand, seeking her permission.

Without her wife’s approval, she wouldn’t presume to speak.

Cheng Zhanya stood up to rinse her mouth. She turned to face her mother and nodded in response to her question.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Mom, I’m pregnant.”

After dinner.

The television was playing one of those eight o’clock family dramas, full of heated arguments and melodrama that clashed sharply with the heavy silence filling the living room. Everyone sat on the sofa, the atmosphere unusually tense.

Each face bore an eerily solemn expression.

“How far along are you?”

The matriarch of the house broke the silence.

The guilty party, Cheng Zhanya, shrank back slightly and replied, “Almost four months.”

“Four months?!” Yang Meijing’s voice rose several octaves. “Four months and not a word to the family? Who told you to keep something like this from us?”

Lin Hanbing gently took her wife’s hand. “This is my fault.”

“I didn’t notice Yaya’s symptoms.”

“She went through a lot of hardship.” Lin Hanbing shouldered all the blame. “It was unstable for a while, so we didn’t say anything. We planned to tell everyone now that we’re back.”

“Mom, please don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad—I’m heartbroken.” Yang Meijing sighed heavily. “Having a child is a good thing. If you’d told me sooner, I could’ve shared some pregnancy tips with you.”

“Right? As someone who’s been through it, Mom’s experience is definitely more reliable than yours.”

After venting a bit, Yang Meijing’s anger began to subside.

She smoothed her apron, let out another sigh, and finally couldn’t hold back her concern. “So, how is it now? What did the doctor say?”

Lin Hanbing looked at the older woman. “It’s stable now. She just needs plenty of rest and to avoid overexerting herself.”

“Good, that’s a relief.”

Yang Meijing had no choice but to relent. After lecturing and scolding as needed, she waved her hand. “Alright, you two must be tired after driving all day. Go wash up and get some rest.”

Life was always full of surprises.

She hadn’t planned to tell her parents about the pregnancy yet. But she’d overlooked the fact that they were experienced parents who had watched her grow up.

They could spot anything unusual at a glance.

How could she possibly hide it?

Cheng Zhanya laughed at her own naivety.

She retreated to the bedroom as if fleeing. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Glancing up at Lin Hanbing, she suddenly remembered the dilemma they faced.

Lin Hanbing could tell what she was thinking and wisely offered, “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“…”

Cheng Zhanya coughed lightly and turned her face away. In a small voice, she said, “Sleep on the bed.”

Lin Hanbing wondered if she’d misheard.

A spark of delight lit her eyes as she looked at Cheng Zhanya, eyebrows shooting up. “Together?”

“Yes. We can’t arouse Mom’s suspicions again.”

“That’s all?” Lin Hanbing felt a twinge of disappointment.

“Yes, that’s all.”

Now that her pregnancy was out in the open, they couldn’t mention the divorce.

Otherwise, this Mid-Autumn Festival would be anything but peaceful.

She thought, maybe she could stall a little longer.

Until it was impossible to hide anymore.

She hoped things wouldn’t backfire again, always catching her off guard.

Cheng Zhanya let out a long breath and half-reclined on the bed.

Lin Hanbing pulled out a freshly laundered set of pajamas. “Go take a shower first and get some rest.”

Cheng Zhanya took the clothes and carefully cracked open the door, only to run into her parents chatting quietly.

Their voices were low and soft.

She caught nothing of their conversation.

With a polite nod, she hurried into the bathroom.

The next morning, when she woke, the spot beside her was empty and cool to the touch. Lin Hanbing had clearly been up for quite some time.

Being pregnant, Cheng Zhanya’s morning sickness was somewhat under control, but she still felt drowsy—especially after a full day of driving the day before.

After her shower the night before, she’d fallen asleep almost immediately.

She had no idea what Lin Hanbing had done afterward.

She hadn’t even left the room when her sister’s bright, uninhibited laughter rang out, piercing with its sheer energy.

Cheng Zhanya’s eardrums throbbed.

What could possibly make her laugh so hard?

She changed clothes and stepped out to find Lin Hanbing and Cheng Cainan sitting together, both glued to their phones, fingers flying across the screens.

Lin Hanbing knew how to play games?

When had she learned?

Her work was already so demanding; Cheng Zhanya couldn’t believe she had time for gaming.

The only explanation was that Cheng Cainan had just taught her.

Lin Hanbing was incredibly sharp—nothing stumped her if she set her mind to it.

“Sis.”

Cheng Cainan spotted her sister and called out enthusiastically, “Come check out Sister Le gaming.”

“She’s so good!”

Cheng Zhanya didn’t understand and ignored her, heading straight for the bathroom.

When she emerged after washing up, they were still at it.

Yang Meijing wasn’t home, and half a Three Red Pomelo sat peeled on the living room table.

Cheng Zhanya broke off a segment.

Perhaps because she’d just brushed her teeth, the first piece tasted slightly bitter.

She took another.

With the first one having cleared her mouth, the rest were sweet with a hint of tartness.

It was just the flavor she liked, and before she knew it, she’d polished off the entire half pomelo.

Realizing what she’d done, she froze.

Her belly was full of juice.

So stuffed.

She couldn’t help but let out a burp.

Lin Hanbing’s gaze burned too intensely to ignore.

Cheng Zhanya felt a flush of embarrassment and annoyance.

She turned her head away, pretending nothing had happened.

“Sis, Mom made you breakfast. It’s in the pot—heat it up yourself. Let Sister Le keep playing games with me, okay?” Cheng Cainan said without looking up, eyes fixed on her screen.

As soon as the match ended, Lin Hanbing put her phone away.

She went to the kitchen, warmed up the breakfast Yang Meijing had prepared, and carefully brought it to Cheng Zhanya.

“Don’t eat too much pomelo.”

Cheng Zhanya: “…”