Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When Lin Che returned home from the office, Gu Jingze was still busy and did not come back.

Apparently, the company got busier the closer it got to the end of the year.

There was no time for rest at all.

Lin Che watched the TV at home and saw the final rehearsal of Spring Night. Qin Wanwan was on the screen. This made Qin Wanwan who was quiet for a few days become the center of attention again.

In a sea of old faces, of course a fresh face would stand out.

The news, probably issued by Qin Wanwan’s team, was singing high praises of her, saying that she might soon be on the frontline.

After that, it was Lin Che’s company’s Xin Xiaoyuan who also took part in Spring Night.

During her interview, she kept saying that she participated in Spring Night a few times but she still felt very honored. Knowing that she was from the same company as Lin Che, the reporter asked what she thought about her company’s younger generation, especially Lin Che.

Xin Xiaoyuan grabbed the opportunity and immediately said, “Oh, I only know that she’s pretty good with Gu Jingyu. Gu Jingyu takes care of them, so she shouldn’t be bad. They have a good relationship in private but she recently took leave and is not participating in any spring activities. I don’t know why she suddenly decided to leave. Maybe something happened with her body.”

Originally, there wasn’t a lot to think about from those words. But soon after that interview, people started speculating online, saying that Lin Che hadn’t come out for a few days. They wondered if she was pregnant and was resting at home.

Lin Che wanted to curse and swear.

The information from a verified Weibo account said that someone revealed that Lin Che was indeed taking a break and had pushed back all her activities. The company’s big sister also confirmed that she took leave.

The verified account even hinted at a speculation. Whose child was it?

Among all the partners she worked with, one of them was Gu Jingyu.

One of them, which everybody knew she had the closest relationship with, was Gu Jingyu.

Thus, within half the day, everybody began to speculate whether Lin Che was carrying Gu Jingyu’s child.

What the Hell?

Couldn’t a person just take a break?

Yu Minmin also very quickly called up Lin Che. Although she was on break, Yu Minmin was not. She didn’t take any leave either and was still working at the company.

Lin Che said, “What exactly are these people doing? How come I’m suddenly pregnant?”

Yu Minmin said, “We’ve already declared that you’re not pregnant. This must be intentionally caused by that Xin Xiaoyuan. She wanted to taint your reputation by implying that you and Gu Jingyu have some shady relationship, an underground affair of some sort.”

Indeed, she saw many people say that she was carrying Gu Jingyu’s illegitimate child on purpose. She relied on Gu Jingyu to climb up and now wanted to cling on to him so badly that she even wanted to give him a child…

“Now, I’m someone who betrayed myself for fame?” Lin Che said speechlessly.

Yu Minmin was also speechless, “Alright, go do whatever you were doing. You must be busy with matters of the Gu family. You can come out in the afternoon and we can show everyone that you’re fine with no big tummy. Remember not to wear that down jacket of yours. Otherwise, people might say that you’re using it to hide your belly. Wear something more revealing today.”

Lin Che only pursed her lips and agreed.

When she went out, she specially wore pretty and body-hugging clothes. She had to strut around on the streets with no outerwear in the cold weather. She was really torturing herself.

Lin Che silently cursed at that Xin Xiaoyuan. She thought about those words she said to Xin Xiaoyuan during the annual meeting, which must have made Xin Xiaoyuan hate her.

When she was finally done, Gu Jingze called and said that he was ready to pick her up and go to the Gu residence to spend the New Year.

Gu Jingze came from a distance and saw that Lin Che was so thinly clad. His heart sank and he hurriedly got down the car. He walked over to her, “What are you doing?”

Lin Che said, “Those Internet bitches said that I’m pregnant, so I’m out here to prove that I’m not. Ah-choo…” As she spoke, she suddenly sneezed into Gu Jingze’s face, spraying her saliva over him.

“…”

Gu Jingze gritted his teeth and looked at her, “Lin Che!”

What an idiot. She wore so little. Obviously, she would sneeze.

He took off his jacket and put it on for her, “Pregnancy is still far away, right?” He looked down at her flat stomach and laughed, “People are already anticipating it? Then, doesn’t that mean that… we should try harder?”

Lin Che’s face darkened, “Who wants to have kids with you?!”

Gu Jingze laughed. Surrounding Lin Che, he felt her hair grazing his face. He turned around and smiled, thinking that her hair was extremely soft. It felt tingly on his face but it was not prickly at all.

Upon entering the Gu house, Lin Che saw that the New Year’s atmosphere was suddenly very intense. The surroundings were extremely festive. Anyone who saw it would suddenly be in the mood too.

Initially, the older she got, the more she felt that New Year was meaningless. But now, looking at this place made her reminisce the New Year’s feelings she experienced when she was young.

Lin Che said, “I haven’t seen this kind of lantern in a long time. Your family’s house is so beautifully decorated.”

Gu Jingze said, “Really?” It was never a big deal to him, probably because it was like this every year and he was already used to it.

Lin Che reached out to touch that small lantern, “When I was young, I really liked the New Year. Every year, I would put up the couplets, buy firecrackers with my nanny, and wait for the night when my dad would give me a red packet. I was especially happy. After that…”

Lin Che paused and her petite face had some self-deprecation.

Gu Jingze looked down at her, “What?”

“My dad would always give me ten dollars and I thought that was already a lot. When I grew up, I found out that he always gave Lin Yu more than a thousand. Giving me ten dollars had the same implications as giving my nanny a token red packet. After that, I stopped looking forward to the New Year.”

Gu Jingze gazed at her and his eyes gradually darkened.

As if he was in deep thought. He didn’t speak for a long time.

Lin Che said, “But maybe my dad isn’t that cruel either. It was my Stepmother who didn’t allow him to give it to me. I’m just an illegitimate child after all.”

Gu Jingze said, “Come on, let’s go in. Oh right, why are people saying that you’re pregnant today?”

“Just the mention of it makes me angry. A fool from the company spouted nonsense. I’m so young and beautiful but she said that I’m pregnant. We had some friction during the meeting last time. Seriously…”

Gu Jingze’s eyes flashed and he nodded.

Without saying anything else, he brought her into the newly-refurbished living room.

Inside, Mu Wanqing was hosting the entire family. They were all chatting and eating. The Gu family was really big and Lin Che couldn’t recognize all of them. But perhaps because of Gu Jingze’s status and power, everybody stood up politely when they saw the two of them enter. All eyes fell on the couple.