Chapter 1  

Unexpectedly, autumn arrived, as if out of nowhere. Yesterday was filled with radiant summer light, but today the feeling of autumn lingered in the air. Fallen leaves scattered across the ground, creating a desolate scene in Bin City during autumn.

In the hospital, Shu Pan’s face was pale as she tightly held the test results that she just received, feeling a sense of disappointment in her heart.

Her menstrual period was delayed, and she anxiously waited for a week before finally unable to resist and came to the hospital for an examination to see if she was pregnant.

Although she was not an expert, she could tell from the results that she was not pregnant.

She had been anticipating it for so long, and now suddenly discovering that she was not pregnant, her hope shattered, and she felt as if she was in an ice cellar.

The doctor who showed her the results was a middle-aged woman with a kind and compassionate appearance. When she smiled, she resembled the Bodhisattva of Childbirth.

“Doctor, I’m not pregnant, right?” Shu Pan anxiously asked.

The doctor was already used to such situations. She looked at Shu Pan carefully. “Judging from the results, you’re not pregnant, but you’re only in your twenties. You’re still very young. Relax, you’ll have a child soon.”

Shu Pan pursed her lips. “But why is my period so late?”

“It’s because you are too nervous, too anxious, and under a lot of stress. These can also affect your menstrual cycle,” the doctor explained.

After saying that, the doctor looked at her other test results.

Suddenly, the doctor frowned and said with a serious expression, “Miss, are you joking with me? You’re taking birth control pills now. Why do you think you’re pregnant?”

“Doctor, is there a mistake? I haven’t taken any birth control pills,” Shu Pan said excitedly.

“Your lab report shows otherwise,” the doctor asserted firmly. “Don’t you know if you are taking them or not?”

Shu Pan suddenly remembered something and froze. Every time they had intimate moments, Gu Shaoting never used protection, but he always made her take a vitamin afterward. Could it be a birth control pill? They often discussed having a child, and he would always agree. So why would he ask her to take birth control pills now?

Leaving the consultation room and seeing pregnant women coming and going in the corridor, she envied them greatly. They had big bellies, supported by their husbands, coming for check-ups. Shu Pan yearned for that.

She walked out of the hospital in a daze.

At this moment, she didn’t want to go back to her studio, let alone go home.

She was wandering aimlessly on the street, and she didn’t even feel anything when people bumped into her.

Shu Pan was puzzled. Why would her loving husband not want a child? He knew how much she loved children, and she was already 26 years old, mentally prepared to be a mother. A child would complete their family. Why…

Actually, she didn’t dare to delve deeper into her thoughts. The person who hurt you the most was often the one you loved the most.

Shu Pan slowly walked home. She didn’t know how long she had walked, but she was in so much pain that she couldn’t feel anything. The tears on her face were like broken beads, falling down one by one.

Her phone rang, playing the song “Meeting” by Stefanie Sun. Shu Pan glanced at it and silenced the call, not wanting to answer. After the call disconnected automatically, a message arrived, “I won’t come home for dinner tonight.” It was from Gu Shaoting, her husband of three years.

Shu Pan ignored him. She walked home. At this moment, she just wanted to be alone.

In the evening, the setting sun’s afterglow bathed the entire city, creating a serene and exquisite painting.

Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting lived in a new residential area called Shuimu Qinghua. The developer had gotten dozens of hundred-year-old trees from God knows where.

Each tree was densely planted and robust. The oldest one was an osmanthus tree. Every flowering season, the neighborhood was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus, which permeated the air.

In the center of the residential area, there was a large pond planted with numerous water lilies, adding a touch of color to the neighborhood. The developer used the combination of trees and water as a gimmick to attract buyers. During the opening, it attracted a large number of people despite its high price tag, which was among the highest in the city, and it quickly sold out.

This development was owned by a company under the Gu Group. Gu Shaoting was the current CEO. With his unique vision, the Gu Group was involved in various fields such as real estate, luxury hotels, and chain department stores, making it a leading enterprise in Bin City.

Before the opening of Shuimu Qinghua, Gu Shaoting reserved a duplex penthouse with an excellent view on the top floor. After the interior decoration was completed, Shu Pan and Gu Shaoting moved out of Gu Family’s ancestral mansion to create their own world of two.

If it weren’t for today’s visit to the hospital and the results, Shu Pan would still believe that they were a loving couple.