Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Auntie Li was put in a rather difficult spot after she said that. Her gaze followed Qiao Lian’s and fell on the man in the dining room.

Shen Liangchuan was elegantly eating his breakfast at the table. When he heard Qiao Lian’s question, he turned his head.

His gaze remained impenetrable, but his brows were slightly raised.

That look caused Qiao Lian’s heart to sink.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he still said, “No.”

No…

Qiao Lian’s heart sank to a bottomless pit all of a sudden along with those words.

Her gaze turned dull as she looked down. She found herself really ridiculous.

After hearing their conversation yesterday, she had actually still held onto some hope—hope of this man having some feelings for her, at least at that moment.

However, reality gave her a sharp slap.

She loosened and clenched her fists, loosened and clenched them again. At last, her dark eyes narrowed as she turned to look at the glass of milk in the caretaker’s hands.

A gloomy glint flashed across her eyes.

Without uttering anything else, she picked up the glass of milk and downed it, as though she was taking an alcohol shot.

After she finished drinking the milk, she said, “I’m full. I’ll go upstairs to get ready for work.”

Downstairs, the caretaker made sure to see that Qiao Lian had entered the bedroom before looking at the milk and heaving a deep sigh. “Sir, although this medicine has almost no side-effects on the body, it would still not be good if Madam found out in the future.”

Mr. Shen had specially chosen and acquired the birth control pills he put in the milk.

They were traditional chinese medicine (TCM), frequently used among several high-ranking officials and noble families in the ancient times. After generations of research by TCM practitioners, it was found that they had almost no side-effects on the body.

Of course, the efficacy of the medicine was weak, so its probability of preventing pregnancy was only 70%.

However, the western birth control pills harmed the body if consumed frequently. Hence, he couldn’t bear let Qiao Lian eat it.

As she thought of this, Auntie Li felt that though Mr Shen looked cold and did not seem to have a good relationship with Ms Qiao, he actually… cared deeply for her!

However, after Auntie Li finished speaking, Shen Liangchuan showed no reaction. Hence, after one line of nagging, she did not dare to continue and could only sigh to herself. Then, she went to the kitchen with the glass to wash it.

_

After Qiao Lian went upstairs, she rushed to the washroom immediately.

Pushing her fingers down her throat, she puked out all the milk she had drank just now.

She flushed the toilet and rinsed her mouth.

Raising her head, she stared at her ash-white face in the mirror, caused by the puking.

The doctor had mentioned yesterday that if she continued to take medicine with such strong effects, it could make her infertile for the rest of her life.

Thus, she wasn’t going to consume them foolishly.

If no one in this world would treat her well, she had to learn to treat herself well!

Things had already developed to state that was beyond her control. However, she could not allow this to go on. She had to think of something… to solve the difficulties now!

She took in a deep breath and tapped her face. Then, she put up a relaxed facade and opened the door to go downstairs.

After changing her shoes, she walked out, where she found Shen Liangchuan in the car. He said through the window, “Get in the car.”

Qiao Lian did not reject him and settled into the passenger seat.

The car moved slowly. An hour later, they arrived at the front of her office.

Just when she was about to get off the car, she heard him say, “I’ll come fetch you when you get off work.”

His words made her pause.

Qiao Lian turned and suddenly asked, “Mr Shen, why are you being so nice to me?”

Then she broke into a smile all of a sudden without waiting for his answer and said, “Shen Liangchuan, do you like me?”