The engagement is over, but the black-bellied president won't let go

"Yi Chen, thank you." Qiao Chu whispered in his arms, his voice like a whisper in the night breeze.

"Silly girl, why thank you? Taking care of you is the happiest thing in my life." Xiao Yichen kissed her forehead gently, his lips were gentle and hot.

"Qiao Chu, I have something to discuss with you." Xiao Yichen stroked her hair and said gently. Under the moonlight, his eyes were particularly bright and firm.

Qiao Chu raised her head slightly, with curiosity in her eyes, and her beautiful face looked even more charming in the moonlight.

Xiao Yichen looked at her and took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind. "I want to take you and Chenchen home and let her recognize her grandparents."

"You didn't say..." Qiao Chu's brows knitted together, and a trace of worry flashed in her eyes. Xiao Yichen had told her about Song Xiaoxue, and she didn't know if his family could accept the existence of her and Chenchen.

"Yes, I've thought about it. I can't let you, Chenchen, and my unborn child suffer any more injustices." Xiao Yichen's tone was firm, and he held Qiao Chu's hand tightly. "They have the right to know the truth, and they should accept you. You are the most important people in my life."

Qiao Chu was silent for a moment, still hesitant in his heart, "Yi Chen, I'm worried that it will affect your reputation."

Xiao Yichen held her in his arms, his chin gently resting on the top of her head, "What are you worried about? My reputation is not that important. I should also be responsible for what I have done. Besides, I believe they will understand and accept it." His voice was gentle yet powerful.

Qiao Chu felt the warmth of his embrace, and the uneasiness in her heart was slightly relieved. "But... I'm still afraid."

Xiao Yichen gently held her face and looked straight into her eyes. "Don't be afraid, dear. Everything will be fine with me here. I won't let you get hurt again."

Qiao Chu looked at his determined eyes and nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Xiao Yichen smiled with relief and hugged her tightly again. "Believe me, this will be a new beginning."

That night, they slept in each other's arms, and their dreams were filled with beautiful visions of the future. The moonlight quietly sprinkled in the room, as if it had cast a veil over their love, guarding their sweetness and peace.

In the early morning, the soft sunlight penetrated the thin clouds and sprinkled on the magnificent building of the Affiliated Hospital of Mocheng University. Xiao Yichen walked into the hospital gate with a seemingly relaxed step. He was wearing a neat and straight white coat, with the buttons on his collar buttoned meticulously, but there was a trace of imperceptible fatigue and helplessness hidden in his eyes.

As a highly acclaimed doctor in the Department of Neurology, Xiao Yichen has always treated his work with a professional and responsible attitude. His schedule is always full, and being busy has become the norm for his work. But today, although his work is as busy as ever, he is in an exceptionally happy mood, as if a huge stone pressing on his heart has been quietly removed.

Along the way, the nurses and doctors passing by were whispering to each other behind him. The low voices were like invisible hands trying to pique his already tense nerves.

"Look at how smug he is." A little nurse whispered softly.

"Maybe there is some good news that he is hiding from us." Another doctor agreed.

However, Xiao Yichen seemed not to hear it and continued walking forward with a brisk pace, even with a faint smile on his face.

When he walked into his office, he casually hung his white coat on the hanger, then sat down at his desk, opened the cup and was about to take a sip of water to moisten his throat. At this moment, a familiar and sharp voice sounded in his ears like thunder: "Xiao Yichen! Explain it to me clearly!"

His heart suddenly tightened, as if he was hit by a heavy hammer, and the cup in his hand almost fell. He slowly raised his head and saw Song Xiaoxue's mother, his former mother-in-law, standing there with her eyes wide open. Her eyes were red and swollen like two ripe peaches, and her expression was so serious that it seemed to freeze frost. Her rapid breathing made her chest rise and fall violently. It was obvious that she had rushed here in a hurry and had not even caught her breath.

"Mom, why are you here?" Xiao Yichen tried to make his voice sound calm, but the slightly trembling ending still betrayed his inner panic.

"Don't call me mom! Let me ask you, someone saw you accompanying a woman with a child to the hospital for a check-up yesterday, and that woman was pregnant! What is going on? Are you sorry for my Xiaoxue?" Song Xiaoxue's mother was so excited that her voice was trembling, and every word she said was like an angry bullet, shooting straight at Xiao Yichen.

Xiao Yichen's face turned pale in an instant, like a piece of white paper, without any blood. He pursed his dry lips and was silent for a long time, as if time had frozen at this moment. Finally, he slowly said, "Mom, don't get excited, listen to my explanation."

As he said that, he quickly walked to the water dispenser nearby, poured a glass of water for Song Xiaoxue's mother, handed it to her with both hands, and motioned her to sit down. But she was not moved at all, still standing there straight like a sculpture, and her sharp eyes seemed to penetrate his soul.

Xiao Yichen sighed helplessly, and this sigh seemed to contain the frustration and hardship that he had accumulated over the years. He began to tell the whole story: "Mom, Xiaoxue and I have been married for five years. You know everything about these five years. In these five years, we...we have not had sex." At this point, his voice unconsciously lowered, as if blown away by an invisible wind, and a trace of pain and guilt flashed in his eyes. The guilt was like a heavy yoke, pressing him so hard that he could hardly breathe.

Song Xiaoxue's mother widened her eyes, full of shock and disbelief: "What? You have been married for five years and you don't have any sex life? Xiao Yichen, what are you talking about?" Her voice rose eight octaves, so sharp that it almost pierced the ceiling of the office.

Xiao Yichen raised his head and looked at her firmly, as if he wanted to convey his sincerity to her through his eyes: "Mom, this is the truth. I know this is unfair to Xiaoxue, and it's not fair to you and Dad. But..." His voice suddenly choked, and his throat seemed to be blocked by a ball of cotton. "But Xiaoxue asked me for a divorce when we went to Wudu, and I respect her decision. Between us... there were many problems that had never been resolved. I didn't expect it to come to this..."

"Respect? This is what you call respect? What about now? You accompany another woman to the hospital, and she is pregnant. Is this also respect?" Song Xiaoxue's mother slammed the table angrily. The sound of her palms hitting the table was particularly loud in the quiet office, like thunder.

Xiao Yichen closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm his turbulent emotions: "Mom, I was going to go to your house to apologize for this matter. Qiao Chu and I had a child in an accident five years ago. But I didn't know about the child at that time. It was only when I met Qiao Chu again by chance some time ago that I found out that she gave birth to a daughter for me."

"Do you think I will believe your nonsense? Xiao Yichen, I always thought you were an honest child, but I didn't expect you to do such a thing! Xiaoxue disregarded her own safety for her work and finally died for her country. She has given so much to this family, but you treat her like this!" Song Xiaoxue's mother burst into tears, and her tears burst out like a flood. Her grief-stricken expression made people heartbroken.

Xiao Yichen's heart was filled with pain and self-blame, as if thousands of ants were gnawing at his heart. He knew that no matter what he said at this moment, it would be so pale and powerless in the face of such turbulent emotions. "Mom, I know that nothing I say can make up for my debt to Xiaoxue. She is a hero and my pride. But what happened between her and me is really not what you think." His voice was low and hoarse, with deep regret.

The office fell into a deathly silence, with only the suppressed sobbing of Song Xiaoxue's mother and the heavy breathing of Xiao Yichen interweaving together. The air seemed to become heavy, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Xiao Yichen looked at his grief-stricken mother-in-law, feeling mixed emotions. He recalled every little detail of his past with Song Xiaoxue, and the good times they had spent together had now become memories that hurt his heart.

"Mom, I know all this is too sudden for you and too hard to accept. But I really don't want to betray Xiaoxue, and my feelings for her have always been sincere. It's just fate that put me in such a predicament." Xiao Yichen tried to explain again, his voice full of pleading.

Song Xiaoxue's mother raised her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes: "Xiao Yichen, even if what you said is true, why didn't you tell us earlier? Why did you wait until now?"

Xiao Yichen lowered his head, his hands hanging weakly on both sides of his body: "Mom, I'm scared. I'm scared that you won't be able to accept it. I'm scared that I'll bring you more harm."

"Do you think there is no harm now? Xiaoxue is gone, but you make her unable to rest in peace even in her grave!" Song Xiaoxue's mother's voice trembled, and her body was shaking due to excessive excitement.

Xiao Yichen quickly stepped forward to support her: "Mom, please don't be like this, it's all my fault, you have to take care of yourself."

Song Xiaoxue's mother pushed his hand away: "Don't touch me! I don't need your hypocrisy!"

Xiao Yichen was pushed back a few steps and bumped into the desk.

After a long while, Song Xiaoxue's mother calmed down a little. She sat on the chair and stared blankly ahead: "Xiao Yichen, how can I trust you? Xiaoxue has given everything for you and for this family. She gave you her best years, but you treat her like this."