Chapter 423 - 423: She’s His First Love
The Substitute Bride: Indulged by the Obsessive CEO
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
For the sake of Ruan Qiâs health, Song Zhou had a discussion with her about taking a few more days off.
Ruan Qi said that she already felt much better. If she kept taking leave, she would not be able to catch up with her classes.
Song Zhou sighed. He couldnât stop her if she wanted to go to school, but they still had to figure out a way to deal with her mother.
He was worried that if Ruan Qiâs mother made a scene at Ruan Qiâs when he wasnât around, Ruan Qi would become so agitated that she would have a miscarriage. If that happened, he would really cry.
Therefore, Song Zhou wanted to proactively tackle the issue.
He suggested that they meet Ruan Qiâs mother together.
Ruan Qiâs head hurt when Song Zhou mentioned her mother.
But she was her mother after all. She had to tell her sooner or later about her marriage.
âLetâs meet her then.â
Ruan Qi called her mother, Ruan Xue.
When the call went through, Ruan Xue scolded her immediately for not calling her mother after so long. Did she know how worried her mother was?
Ruan Qi was touched when she heard her motherâs concern for her. She said calmly, âMom, letâs meet up.â
Ruan Xue berated her. âYouâve been missing for so long, and you just want a meet-up? Arenât you coming home? Donât forget that this is your home!â
Song Zhou asked Ruan Qi to call her mother on speaker phone. When he heard Ruan Xueâs words, he nodded at Ruan Qi.
Ruan Qi felt helpless. She said to Ruan Xue, âAlright then. Iâll go home tomorrow.â
âRuan Qi, youâre becoming more and more rebellious as you get older. You havenât called your mother for so long, and now youâre acting so indifferent now. Do you still treat me as your mother?â
Ruan Qi laughed and asked, âDidnât you not care when I didnât contact you for a month or two in the past? Why are you so nervous now?â
Ruan Xue chided, âWhat do you mean I didnât care? You were in school, so whatâs there for me to worry about? But you have a worthless boyfriend now, and Iâm worried that youâd be led astray.â
âAnd that Tang Beibei. I donât think sheâs a good woman either. Sheâs not worth making friends with. For your own good, stop hanging out with her.â
Ruan Qi chuckled. Her motherâs logic was just so strange. She did not even know Tang Beibei, yet she was judging her maliciously.
Did she think that she can interfere with her life as she pleased just because it was for her own good?
She wanted to talk back but Song Zhou stopped her.
Song Zhou patted her back and comforted her softly, âCalm down, calm down. Getting worked up over such a small matter will upset the baby.â
Then, they heard Ruan Xue say, âQiqi, come home. Iâll set you up with someone.â
âHeâs my friendâs son. Heâs 25 years old this year. Although he didnât go to university, heâs handsome, an only child and his family is rich. If you married him, your future will definitely be better than mine.â
Song Zhou couldnât stand it when he heard Ruan Qiâs mother say that she would set Ruan Qi up with someone. He ended the call.
Ruan Qi held back her laughter, glanced at him and teased, âWhy did you hang up? We should listen to what else she would say about the handsome and rich man sheâs going to set me up with.â
Song Zhouâs face darkened. âAm I not handsome? Am I not rich?â
âYouâre pregnant with my baby, yet you want to go on a blind date. What do you want our baby to think?â
Ruan Qi rubbed her belly. âHis brain hasnât fully developed yet. He probably canât think anything.â
Song Zhou was frustrated. He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her lips.
Ruan Qi smiled as she avoided his kiss. She snuggled in his arms for a while before she let him kiss her.
Song Zhou had restrained himself in the past. Even if they had sex, they didnât do it frequently. After Ruan Qi became pregnant, he didnât dare to do anything and was even more careful.
It was rare for Ruan Qi to be kissed by him until her heart wavered.
Ruan Qi moved around in his arms. Song Zhou quickly retreated and looked at her helplessly.
âMiss Ruan, youâre torturing me again.â
Ruan Qi felt even more aggrieved than him. âIâm not. Itâs your fault that your kissing skills have improved.â
Song Zhou snuggled against her neck took in her scent. He was already contented.
As for the follow-up, there were still eight months left. He could only grit his teeth and endure it.
Tang Beibei asked Jiang Jingchen about the investigation when she got home.
Jiang Jingchen told her what he had found out.
Tang Beibei said with a serious expression, âSomeone tried to harm me on purpose!â
Jiang Jingchen patted the back of her head comfortingly. âDonât worry. I will find that person!â
Tang Beibei puffed up her face angrily. âI didnât do anything bad, and I didnât hurt anyone. Who would want to harm me like that?â
That person had actually used Uncle Zhang to deliver the birdâs nest to her. If she had eaten it and became addicted to the poppy mixed into it, those things would remain in her body, and she would never be able to live in peace for the rest of her life.
Tang Beibei had never judged others with malice, but this time, those people were too vicious!
âHubby, you must find that person. We managed to escape this time. If Ruan Qi gets dragged in again, we may hurt the baby.â
Jiang Jingchenâs handsome face was dark as he replied, âYes.â
He would not give those people a second chance!
When Tang Beibei went to the dance studio upstairs to practice, Jiang Jingchen contacted Ji Yi.
Ji Yi said, âI only found a blurry shadow outside the villa. I couldnât see the manâs face clearly. This isnât really a clue, so this matter is very tricky.â âCan you make a guess?â
Ji Yi replied, âItâs hard to guess. The perpetrator sent the birdâs nest into the villa. He might be after your wife, or you, or Song Zhou, even Ruan Qi. Without any concrete clues, itâs like looking for a needle in a haystack.â
Jiang Jingchen stared at the two thousand yuan on the table and narrowed his eyes.
âLooking for a needle in a haystack?â
âBut I must find the needle!â
Meanwhile at a bar, Jiang Minghua, who was plagued by scandals, drankher cocktail in frustration.
Although the scandals were half-truths and the unflattering photos were photoshopped, they still affected her greatly and made her a joke. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
She took a deep breath and heard a knock on the door. A man in a dress shirt walked in.
The man walked up to her and took her drink away. âStop drinking. Havenât you already dealt with all the negative news? Why are you still so depressed?â
Jiang Minghua got angry at the mention of the news. âDonât let me find those people, or Iâll definitely torture them to death!â
Although they had spent money to deal with the negative news, they still couldnât find the mastermind who spread the news.
âMinghua, Iâll help you,â the man said.
Minghua turned to look at him. She seemed a little drunk as she leaned on his shoulder.
âIâm really surprised that you offered to help.â
âI⦠You know that I still canât let go.â
A hint of mockery and disdain flashed across Minghuaâs mouth but when she looked up at him, her eyes were filled with joy.
âReally? I was insensible back then. Now that I think about it, I was really stupid.â
âMinghua, donât say that. Although everything is in the past, you can nowâ¦â
âI canât. I, Iâm a little dizzy. I should go home. Thank you for your company. Iâll ask you out again another time.â
Minghua already guessed what the man was going to say, but she did not want to agree or reject him. She massaged her brows and stood up to leave.
âIâll give you a lift.â
âThen, Iâll have to trouble you. Somethingâs happening at my fatherâs company. Iâm also very upset.â Jiang Minghua tried to change the subject.
The man did not talk about his feelings anymore. Instead, he said, âThe crisis at the company was deliberately created by someone. Itâs not too difficult to overcome it.â
The manâs gaze was affectionate, and his voice was gentle. âIâll help you keep an eye on the legal department. Minghua, donât worry. Your father isnât someone whoâs easily bullied. Heâll definitely get through it.â
Minghua knew that he was a high achiever with management background, but he was too old-fashioned and stubborn.
When the two of them were a couple, they often quarreled and she couldnât take it anymore. After she found another guy, she broke up with him during one of their fights.
And this man was so slow to think that it was his fault, that he had ruined their relationship because he made her angry.
She was his first love. It was difficult for him to let go when their relationship didnât work out.
And because of that, she used this man to her advantage.
Jiang Minghua lamented, âWu Rui, itâs nice that I can still chat with you calmly after so many years..â