Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

The Fu family arranged for a lawyer to meet with Xu Qingcheng.

I gave her three things.

A divorce certificate.

A spare key.

A jade peace pendant that is mostly broken.

She had a lawyer draft a divorce agreement, signed it, and sent it to Fu Jingting.

The lawyer visited several times, but he turned him away each time.

Later, she stopped having a lawyer come to her home and simply signed the divorce agreement and mailed it to him. As for what he thought, she didn't care. She was already prepared to go through a divorce lawsuit.

Unexpectedly, she received a divorce certificate under these circumstances.

No wonder Jingshan Capital ran into trouble; she didn't receive any inquiries.

Because by then, she and he had no relationship whatsoever.

"Ms. Xu, this house was bought before the marriage and was registered in your name. So it hasn't been subject to enforcement." The lawyer placed the keys in front of Xu Qingcheng, who had to work very hard to hold back her tears.

That house originally belonged to her, but after changing hands several times, it ended up in Fu Jingting's hands.

He offered her a spare key and told her to set her own password and fingerprint, but she refused.

Unexpectedly, this spare key ended up in her hands today, becoming her property.

"This peace plaque was found in the crashed car. Mrs. Zhong asked me to bring it to you." The lawyer paused. "She asked me to tell you something: the person is gone, let bygones be bygones. From now on, may we all be well."

With most of the peace plaques missing, Xu Qingcheng couldn't hold back her tears the moment she took them in.

She said she wanted to give him a landscape plaque. She had already drawn the small picture and specially asked the craftsman to cut the material for her. However, she only carved half of it. Later, because of those things that happened, she never continued carving it and left it in his study.

A landscape plaque that was already incomplete is now broken, mostly shattered, and its original appearance is no longer recognizable.

The surviving fragment has no traces of carving because it was never fully carved.

Xu Qingcheng wondered, if she could complete all the carvings, would that ensure his safety?

No one answered her question.

The lawyer asked Xu Qingcheng to sign.

Her hand holding the pen was trembling. She knew that once she signed this, she would truly have no further connection with him or his family.

"Ms. Xu, I need to go back and report," the lawyer urged.

The moment Xu Qingcheng signed her name, a tear fell and landed directly on her name.

The lawyer glanced at the document, shook his head, and put it away without saying anything.

Xu Qingcheng saw him to the door, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Mom... Madam Zhong, how are you feeling?"

"Madam Chung has been hospitalized several times, and the pain is inevitable; she needs time to recover."

The lawyer left after speaking.

Xu Qingcheng stood at the door and watched him leave.

The elevator doors opened, and Song Chang happened to come out carrying her bag. She then let the lawyer in.

"Who is it?" Song Chang asked Xu Qingcheng.

"The Fu family's lawyer."

"What are you doing here?" Song Chang asked as she followed Xu Qingcheng into the room, carrying her bag. Her eyes caught sight of the divorce certificate on the coffee table in the living room, and she understood everything.

"I packed some things; I'll be staying here for a while." Song Chang put down her bag and turned around to see Xu Qingcheng leaning on the sofa armrest, her face covered in cold sweat from the pain. "Qingcheng, what happened to you?"

My stomach hurt so badly that I couldn't stand up.

Xu Qingcheng grabbed Song Chang's hand. "Quick, take me to the hospital, take me to the hospital, hurry!"

Song Chang was flustered. She grabbed the car keys and helped Xu Qingcheng up. "Can you walk?"

"able."

At Xu Qingcheng's request, Song Chang sent her directly to Xu Hui.

"There are signs of miscarriage." Xu Hui looked at Xu Qingcheng. "Your health is very poor; you're too weak to carry the baby. I told you before that this pregnancy was quite risky, and you originally wanted to abort it. Is it even necessary to try to save the pregnancy now?"

Song Chang was completely stunned. "You didn't...you didn't abort the child?"

She and Xu Qingcheng didn't see each other often, but they bumped into each other every now and then. At that time, there were rumors that she had miscarried. Seeing the state between them, Song Chang felt that the miscarriage was the right thing to do.

Why keep a child if you're getting a divorce?

Song Chang never asked Xu Qingcheng about it again, and besides, didn't Fu Jingting buy a lot of supplements for her to send to Xu Qingcheng?

"You kept this a secret for too long. I didn't notice it at all." Rather than saying he didn't notice it, it would be more accurate to say that Song Chang hadn't even considered the possibility of it.

Xu Qingcheng doesn't eat out. She always says she has no appetite and only likes to eat boiled noodles and eggs.

Either boiled vegetables or...

Don't they eat like this when they're dieting?

Song Chang even said that she was still dieting at this point, and that maintaining her mental and physical health was more important than anything else.

But she was just saying it casually, and since Xu Qingcheng didn't say anything, Song Chang didn't bother to say anything more.

It's better to know that eating is good than to say you have no appetite and not eat anything at all.

Looking back now, she must have eaten this kind of food to avoid severe morning sickness.

Xu Qingcheng was already thin, and she was tall. Her belly was only slightly protruding, but her clothes covered it up completely, so you couldn't tell at all.

Song Chang was somewhat stunned. Qingcheng meant to preserve the pregnancy, but Xu Hui clearly disagreed with her decision. "Qingcheng, there should be an end to your stubbornness. If the baby were already quite far along and there were no health problems, I could agree to let you keep it. But right now, your health isn't good, and medication taken during early pregnancy can cause birth defects. Why do you insist on keeping it?"

"Auntie, you said it yourself, it's possible, it's also possible there won't be a problem." Xu Qingcheng's voice choked with emotion. "I wanted to abort, but now, I want to keep it."

"Why did you change your mind again? Didn't you tell me you'd have the surgery once you finished your business?" Xu Hui slammed the examination record book onto the bed next to her in anger. She was genuinely furious. Her niece was smart and beautiful, so why was she so clueless now?

"Aunt, please help me." Xu Qingcheng said, tears falling down her face. This might be his only blood relative in the world.

If his accident was a tragedy she unintentionally caused.

How could we possibly let her kill him and their child with her own hands?!

"You're still so young, are you not planning to get married again? Do you think it'll be easy for you to get married with a child?" Xu Hui's words were harsh, but they were the truth. Besides, she was already divorced, and Fu Jingting was dead. What kind of stubbornness was she having to do things this way?

Xu Qingcheng turned her head away and didn't say anything; when she got stubborn, no one could change her mind.

Xu Hui swallowed her anger and went out, and Song Chang quickly followed her out.

"Auntie," Song Chang didn't know what to say, only asking, "Is there really something wrong with the child?"

"I can only say it's not 100%, but the chances are higher," Xu Hui sighed. "The main thing is, look at her condition, her body can't take it. She's risking half her life to have a child. What if there are problems with the baby?"

"How many months pregnant is she? I thought she had really miscarried; it was all over the news..."

"According to the pregnancy timeline, she's three months along." Xu Hui sighed. "Qingcheng is squeamish about blood; she fainted last time she saw blood. Let's just go with the flow, since she didn't plan to stay anyway. She told me she'd come back for the surgery after the Shengshi matter was over. I even had the surgery consent form ready for you all today. But then she told me she needs to try to save the pregnancy."

At the time, she probably really didn't intend to stay. But times have changed.

Xu Hui turned and went inside. "I'm going to lay down three rules for you. You must do as I say. Stay calm. If it's really too late to save it, then don't do it. If it's salvageable, do a non-invasive prenatal test next month. If there are any problems..."

Looking at Xu Qingcheng's tearful eyes, Xu Hui finally couldn't bear it. "If there's a problem, we'll do an amniocentesis. If the baby is fine, I'll do it without hesitation. If there's a problem, then we can't keep the baby. If you don't listen, I'll tell your mother directly. Qingcheng, this isn't about whether you want to have the baby or not. You have to be responsible for yourself and for the baby."

Xu Qingcheng nodded.

"There is fluid in her uterine cavity and her progesterone level is very low. She needs an intramuscular injection of progesterone. I'll prescribe the oral medication to help her maintain the pregnancy in a bit. Song Chang, go and pay for and pick up the medication for her."

Song Chang hurriedly agreed.

Xu Hui then instructed Xu Qingcheng, "During this period, you must remain on absolute bed rest to protect the pregnancy and refrain from all activity. Come back for a check-up in a week. Most importantly, you must get plenty of deep sleep. Given your family's situation, who will take care of you?"

"Me, me," Song Chang hurriedly raised his hand.

Xu Hui glanced at the two of them, said nothing, turned and left the ward. "Come with me."

Song Chang squeezed Xu Qingcheng's hand, silently giving her strength.

Xu Hui explained the precautions to Song Chang in detail, and it was already afternoon when they left the hospital.

The car was driving on the road, and the cabin was quiet for a moment. Song Chang looked at Xu Qingcheng and asked, "Have you thought it through?"

"I've thought it through." Xu Qingcheng's voice still had a strong nasal tone, but her answer was without hesitation.

She pressed her palms to her eyes, "Changchang, even if there are problems with this child, I will still give birth to it."

"What do you want to eat? I'll buy it for you."

"Mountain eggs".

Xu Qingcheng blurted it out, and her eyes reddened the instant she spoke.

Song Chang glanced at her. "If you really want this child, you need to relax first, Qingcheng. Think of something positive."

Xu Qingcheng smiled wryly, "I can't think of anything. Changchang, tell me, what fun things have happened?"

No matter what she planned to do, her mind would always unconsciously drift back to Yuan Jiang that early morning.

Three days after the accident, someone said that the body had been found, otherwise the Fu family would not have opened the Fu family cemetery without reason.

Xu Qingcheng really wanted to ask, but the Fu family had someone bring her the divorce certificate, making it clear that they had no relationship anymore and she shouldn't ask any questions.

She could only think about it over and over in her mind, sometimes thinking that the person was really gone, and sometimes thinking that it was just a dream, that maybe he would suddenly reappear in the public eye tomorrow.

She's like someone who's sometimes sober and sometimes drunk, in a daze that she can't tell where she's sober and where she's drunk.

"Think about a name for the baby," Song Chang asked her. "Have you thought about whether it's a boy or a girl? Have you thought about what to name it?"

"No." Because I never expected to actually keep it, I never even thought about it.

"Then think about it."

"it is good."

……

Xu Qingcheng lay in bed for more than a month before her condition stabilized.

She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Zhao Lan's condition is recovering well, but she is still not as quick-witted as before.

However, she has no problems with daily life. It's just that she is always a step behind in thinking. The doctor said that she has both worries and joys. By not thinking too much, she has become much more cheerful and less prone to getting stuck in a rut. She has not shown any more depressive behavioral characteristics.

Zhao Lan touched Xu Qingcheng's belly, "I won't bother you anymore, right?"

"Um."

Perhaps it was because of her age, but she was always full of anticipation for new life. Xu Qingcheng felt that Zhao Lan cared more about the child in her belly than she did, which relieved Xu Qingcheng of a heavy weight in her heart. She was really afraid that her mother would not agree to her keeping the child.

"This child is mischievous and will cause you a lot of trouble in the future."

Xu Qingcheng reached out and hugged Zhao Lan. "Mom, thank you."

"You silly child, why do you burst into tears after just a few words? Didn't your aunt say that you need to be happy so you can be better to the child?" Zhao Lan reached out and ruffled Xu Qingcheng's hair. "Didn't you say you were going for a checkup a few days ago? Have the results come back yet?"

"not yet."

Xu Qingcheng lied. The results of the Down syndrome screening were bad, so she had a vial of blood drawn for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).

As a result, her aunt didn't tell her anything, but only told her to have another amniocentesis.

She went to get it done a few days ago, and they said they'd give her the results in two weeks.

Xu Qingcheng looked at the bright sunshine outside. The baby in her belly had survived so much and was still bravely staying inside her. It was already five months along, and her pregnant belly was clearly visible even when she wore tight clothes.

"Don't worry, try to stay calm. If it really doesn't work out, we can just give up."

Xu Qingcheng didn't speak. She stared at the bright sunshine outside, and she really wanted the child to bask in the sun too.

"Mom, the weather is so nice today. I want to go to Wuxiang Temple to pray for peace." Xu Qingcheng turned to look at Zhao Lan.

"Yeah, that's good. Go out for a walk, don't stay cooped up all the time."

Xu Qingcheng really felt like she hadn't seen the sunlight in a long time—not just felt, but definitely had.

She has been following her doctor's orders closely these days, spending almost all her time in bed except to go to the toilet. She is five months pregnant, but has not gained any weight. She lost too much weight in the early stages, and it is already good that she can maintain her original weight.

Xu Qingcheng wore a comfortable pair of black leggings, the kind for pregnant women, with a loose fit around her belly, but otherwise looking no different from what she usually wore.

She went out wearing a loose-fitting Korean-style T-shirt, white sneakers, and a baseball cap.

She looked as fresh and pretty as a young college student.

Sunlight symbolizes resilience and vitality.

She applied light makeup to make herself look quite well. Xu Qingcheng knew she had to pull herself together; her mental strength would surely be passed on to the baby in her belly. She had to hold her head high and look ahead.

When Song Chang came to pick her up, he couldn't help but whistle when he saw Xu Qingcheng's outfit. "Beautiful! Energetic!"

Xu Qingcheng smiled gently. "I can't always wallow in self-pity. I want my child to be lively and interesting, and not to be affected by my gloomy mood."

"They say a woman becomes strong when she becomes a mother." Song Chang put his arm around Xu Qingcheng's shoulder. "I give you a thumbs up."

"Let's go."

It happened to be the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, and there were many people coming to offer incense and worship Buddha.

Xu Qingcheng knelt in devout worship, holding a broken peace talisman that she had repaired. The talisman had been decorated with a design, and a few strokes along the broken edges had been used to outline the shape of steps.

May the Bodhisattva bless my son with health and safety.

It is said that sincere prayers will be received by the Bodhisattva.

Amidst countless prayers, Xu Qingcheng, not only from Heaven, straightened up and kissed the peace talisman in her hand, hoping that it would also bless the child with peace and health.

After obtaining a peace charm, Xu Qingcheng finally left the temple.

The two walked up the steps towards the temple exit when Xu Qingcheng suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Song Chang followed Xu Qingcheng's gaze and saw Zhong Wanxiu offering incense at the bronze cauldron at the entrance of the temple.

Time has inevitably left its mark on her eyes and brows, with sunlight seeping into the wrinkles around her eyes.

Thinking of her child, Zhong Wanxiu's eyes welled up with tears, which were clearly visible in the sunlight.

As a mother, she could give up everything, hoping only that her whole family would be safe and happy.

But time and time again, she could only helplessly watch it all unfold.

If there is an afterlife, may I stay away from right and wrong.

Xu Qingcheng could not move her feet.

After Zhong Wanxiu finished offering incense, Fu Sichen tugged at her arm. "Mom."

"What's wrong?" Zhong Wanxiu looked to the side at Fu Sichen's prompting and saw Xu Qingcheng standing on the steps to the side.

"Aunties, are you here to offer incense too?" Song Chang couldn't stand the awkward atmosphere and greeted them first.

Zhong Wanxiu responded with a "Yes".

Xu Qingcheng didn't know what to shout at this moment. She opened her mouth again and again, but no words came out.

Instead, Zhong Wanxiu spoke first, "Qingcheng looks much better than before, her complexion is much better."

She was a woman her son cherished and loved, and even though they eventually parted ways, Zhong Wanxiu couldn't bear to be harsh with her.

Her words were so gentle, without any hint of resentment.

Xu Qingcheng couldn't hold back her tears. She whispered, "Auntie, I'm sorry."

Zhong Wanxiu lowered her eyes and gave a bitter smile, saying nothing more. "We still need to go in and pray, so we'll be leaving now."

Fu Sichen followed behind, hesitant to speak, "Sister Qingcheng..."

"Si Chen. He's gone."

Zhong Wanxiu called out from ahead, and Fu Sichen shut his mouth and quickly caught up with her.

The disaster caused by Fu Jingting's accident is far from over in the Fu family. Due to internal power struggles, the Fu Group's stock price has plummeted, and foreign capital is entrenched, wanting to take over the entire Fu Group. The struggle is becoming increasingly fierce.

Fu Pingxiu turned the tide and escaped with a narrow advantage, but the Fu family was still severely weakened.

Media reports exposed numerous illegal and criminal activities by KingMed Beauty, leading to its suspension from operations and investigation.

Although Fu Hongxin was no longer under investigation, shutting down Jinyu Wumei cut off his source of funds and his money laundering channels.

These things are all far removed from Xu Qingcheng now.

Fu Pinxiu and Tang Tang got married, but because it was so close to Fu Jingting's accident, they only made an announcement to the public and did not hold a wedding ceremony.

Along with Fu Pinxiu's marriage, his five-year-old son also became a trending topic.

At the same time, news broke that Mr. Fu's shares would be equally distributed among his great-grandsons.

Song Chang stared at this news for a long time, thinking "Damn it!"

Then he looked at Xu Qingcheng's belly and said, "My godson is valuable now."

Xu Qingcheng grabbed the magazine in her hand and slapped it directly on Song Chang's head. "There was some trouble the other day. Tang Mosen was almost kidnapped."

Song Chang remained silent for a moment.

These are the people who understand best what these events represent.

Song Chang herself is an example.

Fortunately, although they didn't deliberately hide it, they did try to hide it.

Apart from Zhao Lan and Xu Hui, no one else knew that Xu Qingcheng was pregnant.

"Changchang, Xie Yin has invited me several times. I'd like to take this opportunity and give it a try." Xu Qingcheng took a deep breath. "The medical standards there are also better."

She astutely caught Xu Qingcheng's question at the end of her sentence, "Have the test results come out? What did they say?"

"Don't overthink it, it's fine. The outcome isn't important to me anyway." Xu Qingcheng lowered her eyes. "Besides, I can't hide my pregnancy anymore."

She didn't want to cause any more trouble, and now, the birth of this child was her own business.

This might be her last connection with him in this lifetime.