After Shen Yi left their suite, Lu Xinyi had her breakfast and left with Yang Liqing for her doctor’s appointment. Yang Liqing had no idea how long the two had been married so she was surprised when her mistress sought her help last night.

The waiting room of the doctor’s office was cool and private. Yang Liqing had managed to find a private doctor within the town in a short notice. Her mistress seemed to be in a good mood, but there was a hint of nervousness in her actions.

Lu Xinyi grabbed the nearest magazine on the side table. She opened her mouth as she saw her and Shen Yi at the cover of the fashion magazine. Half of her face was covered with a white veil, her arms wrapped around Shen Yi’s shoulders, while her husband’s face was purposely covered with a mask with only the lower part of his face exposed.

“Madam Shen! This is…” Yang Liqing gasped as she peeked at what Lu Xinyi was holding. When did their young master agree to have his picture taken for a magazine? Although Shen Yi and Lu Xinyi’s faces were covered, it would be easy for those who knew them to tell their identities. Shen Yi’s black robe contrasted against Lu Xinyi’s white fairy dress.

Lu Xinyi took her phone and dialed her cousin’s number, but Lu Xiulan didn’t pick up her call again. That was weird, Lu Xinyi thought. It was rare for Lu Xiulan not to be reached at this time of the day. She decided to call Yuan Jin instead.

“I assumed you’ve seen the magazines by now?” Yuan Jin asked as soon as he answered her call. “We’re on the right track, Xinxin, but I haven’t thought that Sun Feiyan would change her plan.”-.

“What happened?” Lu Xinyi passed the magazine to Yang Liqing who excitedly turned the pages to see more pictures.

“Their campaign has been canceled without any explanation. When will you be back? Everyone’s looking for you.” Yuan Jin laughed at the other line.

Lu Xinyi shrugged. She really didn’t care about Sun Feiyan’s campaign. She was more worried about her impending move at Silver Leaf than the Sun family’s problems.

“We’re somewhere where people cannot disturb me and Shen Yi. We will be back in two weeks,” she replied.

Her head turned up when the nurse called her name: “Madam Shen?”

“I should go. Please tell Xiulan to call me back.”

Lu Xinyi bid goodbye to her friend and ended the call. She wanted to make sure first before telling her husband about her worries. It wouldn’t hurt to be safe than sorry.

—

“I’m sorry, Madam Shen, but you aren’t pregnant.” The doctor felt bad that she was about to ruin Lu Xinyi’s mood. As her doctor, it was her job to know and tell what was going on even though she knew it would disappoint her patient.

Lu Xinyi’s smile faltered. “What do you mean I’m not pregnant?”

The doctor continued on her explanation.

“I understand your excitement and anticipation, but this is a case of pseudocyesis or phantom pregnancy. You missed the doses of your pills, but that doesn’t mean you can easily get pregnant if you stopped it abruptly.

“Then what about the symptoms? My period? It should have come by now, but it hasn’t.” Lu Xinyi replied hastily.

“Madam Shen,”—the doctor calmly shook her head—”delayed periods may happen to a woman. Haven’t you been too stressed lately? According to the results, you aren’t pregnant. It’s still early in your married life, and it’s considered normal not to get pregnant for the first two years of marriage.”

“So I’m not…” Lu Xinyi forced herself to calm down, but the disappointment that weighed heavily in the pit of her stomach hadn’t lessened.

—

The excitement from her previous anticipation had vanished as soon as Lu Xinyi stepped outside of the doctor’s door. Yang Liqing mentioned her deteriorated mood and felt helpless as she walked with Lu Xinyi back to the Grace Palace Restaurant where He Haotian was waiting.

She had noticed Lu Xinyi’s sudden change in mood after the doctor’s appointment and wondered what could have happened. Now, she felt like walking on thin ice, afraid that she might offend her mistress if she said anything.

“Madam Shen, Young Master will arrive before lunch…” she reminded Lu Xinyi, but her mistress seemed deep in her thoughts and didn’t respond to her.

They arrived at the restaurant, finding its kitchen busy with some renovations. He Haotian had decided to check the inventory of the restaurant and sorted the kitchenware according to its quality.

“What’s happening here?” Lu Xinyi asked as soon as she stepped inside the busy kitchen. She saw Gu Meina helping He Haotian in tidying the place with the Mo siblings, which surprised her.

“What are they doing here?” she blurted out.

“Madam Shen, we’re hoping if we could talk with President Shen again.” Mo Liwei rubbed his neck, clearly uneasy that they were left without any option but to sell Blue Haven to the couple.

“But my husband wouldn’t be here today. He got some work to do.” She then turned to her new mentor. “I didn’t expect that you’ll start working here too soon.”

He Haotian shrugged his shoulders before inspecting the old wok that a worker brought at the counter. “I don’t mind. I did promise you that you can take a break before we can start with your training. Why are you here anyway? I thought you said you and Shen Yi won’t be here for a week?”

Lu Xinyi nodded in response. Indeed, Shen Yi had already planned out their schedule for the next day, but he hadn’t informed her yet about it. She guessed that she had no choice but to go back at the Peach Blossom Resort and wait for Shen Yi to come home.