Chapter 14 Callous

• He was quite impressed by her. After she had experienced such an embarrassment at the hotel during the noon, she came back as if nothing had happened and ate all those food before her.
• She had looked so voracious when she had eaten, yet in a blink of an eye, she was already taking a leisurely stroll in the outer grounds with her arms and legs swinging about.
• What a master at callousness!
• It wasn’t until ten in the night that Ling Yichen had come out of the study room.
• The living room was utterly empty.
• He walked up to the second floor, pushed open the bed room, and saw the woman sitting there and studiously reading her book just like before.
• Ling Yichen glanced at her belly, raised a hand, and knocked twice on her door.
• The woman did not look up. Her head remained low as she focused on reading her book.
• Ling Yichen knocked twice again.
• “Ah!!” Startled, she finally heard him this time. She looked at him and stuttered in a shrilly voice, “What... What are you doing here?”
• Ling Yichen’s mood turned sour upon hearing this question.
• However, based on the account of her pregnancy, he pretended that he didn’t hear anything.
• He walked up to her, peered at the scratch papers which were filled with formulas, and queried, “Preparing for the university entrance exam?”
• Xia Mo pursed her delicate lips, looked away, lowered her head, and then put away everything neatly on the desk. Sounding wretched, she muttered, “I have nothing better to do. It’s just for fun.”
• Ling Yichen gazed deeply at her from above. Although he could not see her petite face, he can already imagine that she was pouting her lips and fluttering her curly and long eyelashes.
• “Then go to bed early!” He turned around, walked to the bed, pulled the quilt, and laid down on the side where he usually slept.
• Xia Mo felt bad for the bedsheet which she had changed not too long ago. Shen then recalled what they did together in bed, and her face began to blush.
• “I’m already pregnant.” Xia Mo bit down on her lip, clasped the corners of her shirt, and looked up at Ling Yichen.
• “So you don’t need to sleep if you are pregnant?” Intentionally twisting her words, Ling Yichen sat up with a scowl on his face and leaned against the headboard.
• “Huh?” Bewildered, Xia Mo had scratched her head and pondered for a long while before she explained, “Pregnancy requires rest. I can’t... I can’t do that kind of exercise. It’s too... strenuous.”
• “Based on you?” Ling Yichen snorted with laughter, “With your flat chest like an airport runway and small body, you want me to...”
• “Who’s an airport runway?!” Xia Mo almost bit her tongue when she blurted but then swiftly said, “I’ll go sleep in the guest room downstairs.”
• “Are you going to sleep or not?!” Ling Yichen no longer teased her after he had heard her mention the guest room. He raised his voice and declared, “The guest room downstairs is meant for guests. This bed is the only thing that you will sleep on!”
• Xia Mo’s curved brows drew taut. She wanted to counter him but held her tongue when she saw the cold look in that man’s eyes. She choked down her words and kept quiet.
• “So?! Sleep or not?” The man asked her once more. His expression looked domineering as if he would immediately lunge at her and beat her to the floor if she said ‘no’.
• “Sleep!” Xia Mo pouted. Like a spineless coward, she eventually climbed into bed while inwardly cursing him a hundred times and over.
• Ling Yichen looked at her darkened, angry face. Even her breathing became heavy. It made Ling Yichen wonder if the woman was going to take a bite out of him.
• He stretched his long arm and pulled her into his embrace.
• Xia Mo nervously pursed her lips. She didn’t know what to do next.
• Unexpectedly, the man did nothing of that sort.
• “Go sleep!” The man’s voice was still cold, but it carried a hint of gentleness.
• Xia Mo’s heart relaxed somewhat, but it would take a while for her body to follow suit. It wasn’t until she had sensed that the man really had no other plans for her that she finally relaxed and shut her eyes.
• Meanwhile at the Ling family’s old house, Lu Wanru stood by the window and looked out.
• “Mistress, you should sleep now. It’s already past ten,” Standing from behind, Mrs. Wu beseeched her with a heavy heart.
• “Mrs. Wu, tell me. Is what I am doing right or wrong?” Lu Wanru hesitatingly asked, “What if Mister is unable to forget her?”
• “Miss Xia appears more acquiescent than Second Miss,” Miss Wu impartially answered.
• “I’m not too concerned about Xia Mo. After all, there’s Bowen. It’s Mister who’s I’m more worried about.” An idea then crossed her mind. Should I request Bowen for a drug on sterilization?
• Regardless of whatever Lu Wanqiu does, she will be rendered powerless if Ling Yichen cannot procreate.
• “Mister is an empathetic man. Mistress, don’t fret much about it,” Mrs. Wu comforted her, “You must not have any other thoughts. If you break his heart, the damage will be irreversible.”
• “I know.” Lu Wanru then quickly recomposed herself and beamed a lighthearted mile at Mrs. Wu, “You should sleep too.”
• “I will retire once Madam does.”
• The corner of Lu Wanru’s eyes reddened as she took notice of the motherly affection in Mrs. Wu’s eyes.
• The only person who had treated her with sincere care over these past few years was none other than Mrs. Wu.
• “Just go and rest. I will sleep soon as well.” Lu Wan gently tucked Mrs. Wu’s white hair behind her ear and gingerly queried, “Why has your hair whitened so much?”
• “I’m already past sixty. Having white hair is natural.” Mrs. Wu looked at Lu Wanru’s eyes gleaming with tears and chuckled, “Be at ease though. My body’s still very fit. I can still care for the new Young Master.”
• Lu Wanru laughed along. “Indeed! I still need you to take care of him.”
• Lu Wanru then envisioned a young child call her “Mama”. Exuberant, she held Mrs. Wu’s hands and asked, “I heard that boys usually take after the mother. Do you think that Xia Mo’s child will be beautiful too?”
• “I heard from the other elderly people that the child will look like whomever he was raised under. I say that the Young Master will look like you,” Mrs. Wu firmly responded, “Mistress, you were once D City’s...”
• “I know. I know.” Lu Wanru cut her off with a hearty laugh. “Why do you always bring this up?! There’s no point!”
• “I’m only speaking the truth,” Mrs. Wu chortled.
• “Yes, I of course know that. You never speak untruths.” Lu Wanru’s eyes reddened after upon thinking about the wild things that she had done in her youth.
• Who could have imagined she, who was once proudful and supercilious, would have to rely on the previous generation’s debt of gratitude to secure her position as the legally wedded wife?
• “Madam, please heed my advice. I’m not lying at all. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If Madam is willing to concede, then Mister will yield even further,” Mrs. Wu implored her yet again.
• “Mrs. Wu, it’s very late,” Lu Wanru bitterly smiled and continued, “If I was to cry during that time immediately after I had just lost the child, maybe it would work. However, what use will it be now that Lu Wanqiu has used so many underhanded tricks against me?”