Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âOh, no worries. She went back home a few days ago. Iâve been busy lately, and when I tried calling her today, she didnât pick up. I just wanted to ask if sheâs been in touch with you these past few days?â He Ming quickly explained, concerned that Shu Pan might misunderstand.
âNo, Iâve been busy too. Is everything okay with her?â Shu Pan asked, sounding worried.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIâll go pick her up tomorrow,â He Ming said, realizing he might have been too anxious. Perhaps she just didnât have her phone with her.
Ah, he thought, getting flustered had made him forget everything else.
Now that he had calmed down, he realized he might have been too nervous and overly concerned about Xiaomeng.
Xiaomeng, that scatterbrain, often forgot to bring her phone. It wouldnât be unusual for her to miss a call.
He smiled to himself. Indeed, busy minds lead to chaos.
âAlright, keep me updated,â Shu Pan instructed.
âGot it,â He Ming readily agreed.
âHe Ming, um⦠did Xiaomeng say anything to you before she left?â Shu Pan remembered Xiaomengâs pregnancy and brought it up.
âNo, why?â He Ming thought for a moment. Xiaomeng didnât say anything specific before she left.
âOh, never mind then,â Shu Pan thought Xiaomeng might have her own plans, so she didnât tell He Ming.
After He Ming hung up the phone, he felt a bit melancholic. It had been a long time since he last saw Xiaomeng, and he missed her terribly.
Back at home, Mother He waved him over, gesturing for him to sit down, then she asked him directly.
âDid you and Xiaomeng break up?â Mother He got straight to the point, not beating around the bush.
âHow could that be? Weâre not breaking up,â He Ming replied sternly.
âAre you trying to kill me? Forget about Xiaomengâs past, just tell me about your plans now. How long have you been thinking about having a child? Do you have one?â Mother He said loudly.
âMom, calm down, take care of yourself, letâs talk properly,â He Ming said, concerned not to upset her since she was in delicate health.
âFine, Iâm not angry. But tonight, youâre going out to dinner with Yao Ning, and you better take a good look at the girls around you,â Mother He insisted, convinced that Xiaomeng had bewitched him, otherwise he wouldnât be so stubborn.
There were so many outstanding girls around him. How had he not noticed?
âOkay, okay, I promise,â He Ming quickly agreed.
He had already planned to take Yao Ning out to dinner, so it wasnât a big deal.
Mother He finally quieted down. She just didnât believe that He Ming wouldnât listen to her.
After all, he was her son, and she knew him very well.
Seeing that the old man at home had stopped making a fuss, He Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He thought to himself that when Xiaomeng came back, they would have to work even harder.
They needed to strive to have a cute baby as soon as possible, so they wouldnât have so many issues.
Around five in the afternoon, Mother He urged He Ming to drive to pick up Yao Ning.
When He Ming arrived at the hospitalâs entrance, he was just about to make a call when he saw Yao Ning coming out, perfectly timed.
He drove slowly towards her, then honked the horn lightly.
Yao Ning, lost in thought, jumped a little at the sound, but when she saw it was He Ming, her eyes lit up. As He Ming parked and got out of the car, he opened the passenger door for Yao Ning, who gracefully stepped inside.
He Ming had booked a table at a Western restaurant without much thought. He simply felt that the environment there was quieter and more conducive to conversation, and after a busy day at the hospital, Yao Ning could use some peace and quiet.
But as a gentleman, he still wanted to ask the beautiful lady for her opinion.
âYao Ning, is there any restaurant you particularly want to go to? Or any dish youâd like to eat?â
âAnything is fine, Iâm not picky. You decide,â Yao Ning smiled softly.