I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 31

The sound of Fu Xunzhou’s hurried footsteps echoed against the marble floors of the hospital corridor.

The Obstetrics and Gynecology Department was on the second floor, but Old Master Fu’s inpatient ward was on the fourteenth. Both elevators showed they were still stuck on the basement level.

Fu Xunzhou couldn’t wait. Patience had never been his strong suit. He darted straight for the emergency stairwell and began sprinting down the stairs.

It had been ages since he last ran like this. Just two days ago, he had managed a ten-kilometer run at the gym without breaking much of a sweat. But now, his breathing felt foreign, his legs moved as if they had a mind of their own. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though his entire body was plummeting downward, completely out of control.

He reached the second floor in no time, his breath ragged as he made his way to the Obstetrics and Gynecology outpatient clinic. A nurse stopped him at the entrance. “No men allowed beyond this point,” she said firmly.

Fu Xunzhou stood there, chest heaving, his urgency written all over his face.

Just then, Fu Ruxuan emerged from the elevator and rushed over. “I’ll go in and look for Sister-in-law,” she offered.

Fu Xunzhou nodded repeatedly, unable to form words.

A strong sense of foreboding gripped him-an instinct so intense, so unprecedented, that it left him both anxious and exhilarated.

The outpatient clinic was bustling with people. Aside from the Pediatrics Department, this was undoubtedly the busiest area in the entire hospital.

Fu Ruxuan jogged into the clinic, first scanning the waiting area for any sign of Zhou Youling. When she didn’t spot her there, she began peeking into each consultation room, her head darting in and out like a curious bird.

Fu Xunzhou remained outside the restricted area, his palms slightly clammy.

His gaze swept across the crowd. Most of the people here were pregnant women-some heavily pregnant, others just beginning to show, and a few who appeared to be in the earliest stages of pregnancy.

A heavily pregnant woman happened to waddle past him, her steps slow and labored. Instinctively, Fu Xunzhou reached out to steady her. The woman looked up at him, a handsome stranger, and chuckled. “Thank you, thank you. Is your wife here for her check-up too?”

Caught off guard, Fu Xunzhou nodded awkwardly. “Uh, yes.”

“That’s wonderful,” the woman said, though a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes. “My husband’s always too busy with work to take time off. I’ve had to come to every check-up by myself. Now that I’m nearing my due date, I’m practically here every day for fetal heart monitoring. It’s such a hassle.”

Fu Xunzhou helped her to a seat in the waiting area. As she settled in, his eyes drifted to her belly, which seemed impossibly large.

It was the first time he had been this close to a pregnant woman. He couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer size of her belly, and the thought of how such a small frame could bear such a weight left him momentarily stunned.

“You’ve been through a lot,” he said quietly.

The woman smiled at his words. “It’s good to hear that from you men. Carrying a baby for ten months is no joke. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in months. And once the baby’s born, the real challenges begin.”

Her words struck a chord with Fu Xunzhou. He had always known, in theory, that pregnancy was tough. But hearing it firsthand, seeing it up close-it was a whole different reality.

After what felt like an eternity, Fu Ruxuan came running back out, panting heavily as she shook her head at him.

Fu Xunzhou pulled her aside. “What happened? She’s not there?”

Fu Ruxuan steadied her breathing and said, “I checked everywhere, but I couldn’t find Sister-in-law. When I came up earlier, I wasn’t sure if she was just about to go in for a check-up or if she was leaving. But I did overhear something about pregnancy or not being pregnant…”

Fu Xunzhou nodded and took out his phone to call Zhou Youling.

Unfortunately, his number had already been blocked by Zhou Youling-both his work and personal numbers.

“Let me borrow your phone,” Fu Xunzhou said to Fu Ruxuan.

Understanding immediately, Fu Ruxuan unlocked her phone and handed it to him.

Without hesitation, Fu Xunzhou dialed Zhou Youling’s number.

The line rang.

“Hello?” Zhou Youling’s voice was light and cheerful, as if she were in a good mood.

Fu Xunzhou took a deep breath. He wanted to speak but feared his voice might irritate her. Instead, he put the call on speaker and handed the phone back to Fu Ruxuan.

Caught off guard, Fu Ruxuan hesitated before nervously saying, “Sister-in-law…”

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Youling chuckled. “Did you forget what you’re supposed to call me?”

Fu Ruxuan quickly corrected herself, “Elder sister!”

A fleeting look of sadness crossed Fu Xunzhou’s face.

“Do you need something?” Zhou Youling asked.

Fu Ruxuan glanced at her elder male cousin for guidance and said, “Elder sister… I think I saw you at the hospital earlier. Are you still there?”

“I’ve already gone home,” Zhou Youling replied.

“Oh… so you’ve left. Elder sister, are you feeling unwell?” Fu Ruxuan hesitated, unable to bring herself to ask directly about the pregnancy. She felt conflicted, especially since she genuinely liked Zhou Youling.

Fu Xunzhou couldn’t wait any longer. He took the phone back and softly called, “Youling.”

There was a noticeable pause on the other end.

“It’s me,” Fu Xunzhou said. “Please don’t hang up.”

“What do you want?” Zhou Youling’s voice came through, distant and cold.

“You went to Obstetrics and Gynecology today, didn’t you?” Fu Xunzhou asked cautiously, his voice low as if afraid to scare her away.

To his surprise, Zhou Youling answered without hesitation. “Yes, I went to Obstetrics and Gynecology today. And I know what you want to ask. But I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed-I’m not pregnant.”

Fu Xunzhou felt his racing heart gradually calm down, sinking into a quiet stillness.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. It was as if the last fragile thread connecting them had snapped.

When Zhou Youling didn’t hear a response, she continued, “We’re divorced now, so there’s no relationship between us. I hope you won’t contact me again in the future. And if Fu Ruxuan tries to use this kind of method to help you reach me, I won’t speak to her anymore either.”

Panicking, Fu Ruxuan grabbed the phone and quickly said, “Elder sister, elder sister, I’m sorry!”

“Don’t do it again,” Zhou Youling warned.

Fu Ruxuan, who had no temper when it came to Zhou Youling, still wanted to keep talking to her. She changed the subject and asked, “Elder sister, I heard you beat up Jiang Sha last night?”

“Hitting people is wrong. Don’t learn from me,” Zhou Youling replied.

Fu Ruxuan giggled. “When can I see you again? I’ve been craving your braised pork trotters!”

Zhou Youling laughed. “If you keep eating like that, you’ll turn into a pig.”

“Hmph.”

After hanging up the phone, Fu Ruxuan glanced at her elder male cousin and offered a token of comfort, “You’re still young. Kids… you’ll have them someday.”

Oddly enough, despite being blood-related to Fu Xunzhou, Fu Ruxuan instinctively found herself siding with Zhou Youling.

Fu Xunzhou seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He staggered back a few steps, slumped into a chair, and shook his head. “No, I won’t.”

He reached up to wipe his face, his distinct knuckles pressing against his forehead, obscuring any trace of emotion on his face.

Seeing her cousin like this, Fu Ruxuan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. Curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, “Do you still love Youling?”

Fu Xunzhou didn’t respond.

But he knew now, without a doubt, that the feeling was love.

Fu Ruxuan wasn’t afraid of offending him. “Honestly, I couldn’t tell that you loved Youling. Back when Aunt used to bully her at home, you never seemed to stand up for her. To me, it always felt like your world revolved around work.”

Fu Xunzhou lifted his head. “Go on.”

Fu Ruxuan continued, “Loving someone means showing it through actions. You need to warm her heart, let her know that when she needs you, you’ll always be there.”

Her words struck Fu Xunzhou like a bolt of lightning.

Fu Ruxuan sighed, her expression one of helplessness.

Before long, Old Master Fu descended the stairs.

Accompanying him were Fu Zhiqing and Yu Wanrong.

Yu Wanrong had clearly heard about Zhou Youling’s “pregnancy” and couldn’t hide the anticipation on her face.

Upon seeing Fu Xunzhou, Old Master Fu immediately asked, “Where’s Lingling? Where is she?”

Fu Ruxuan stepped in to answer, “She’s already gone home.”

“Is she pregnant?” Old Master Fu asked eagerly.

Fu Ruxuan looked at her grandfather’s hopeful expression and could only shake her head regretfully. “No.”

“Ah, it seems our Fu Family isn’t blessed with good fortune!” Old Master Fu couldn’t conceal the disappointment on his face.

Beside him, Fu Zhiqing, who was supporting him, tried to comfort him. “Dad, there’ll be plenty of chances for you to hold a great-grandchild.”

Old Master Fu didn’t even glance at her, muttering, “What do you know!”

Yu Wanrong’s face, too, shifted from expectation to disappointment.

Seeing the despondent look on her son’s face, Yu Wanrong stepped forward to console him. “Cheer up.”

Fu Xunzhou looked up at his mother and smiled faintly. “I should be happy, shouldn’t I? She’s freed herself from everyone in the Fu Family-her cowardly mother-in-law, her useless husband, and her unbearable relatives. I should be happy for her.”

Yu Wanrong and Fu Zhiqing lowered their heads in shame at his words.

Fu Xunzhou stood up, bid farewell to Old Master Fu, and left without looking back.

…

Inside the smoothly moving car.

Zhou Youling leaned against the seatback, still feeling slightly nauseous. Perhaps it was the faint scent of perfume lingering in the car.

Rong Huiying held Zhou Youling’s hand, her face beaming with joy. “If you look at it from a long-term perspective, it’s not such a bad thing. In fact, I think it’s quite good.”

From the front seat, Zhou Zhishan turned his head and shot Rong Huiying a disapproving look. “I don’t understand what you’re so happy about.”

Zhou Youling glanced at her mother’s cheerful face and couldn’t help but smile along with her.

“What’s the matter? Can’t I be happy that I have a grandchild?” Rong Huiying exclaimed as she pulled out the report from her purse. “Such a tiny life is growing inside our Lingling’s belly. This is a gift from heaven!”

Zhou Zhishan shook his head, clearly feeling a headache coming on.

Rong Huiying held Zhou Youling’s hand tightly and said, “My daughter, no matter what you decide, your mom will support you unconditionally! If you want to have the baby, then have it! If you don’t want it, I’ll go with you to terminate the pregnancy!”

Zhou Zhishan winced at her last words, his heart aching.

Zhou Youling’s voice was firm as she declared, “I’ve already said, I won’t terminate this pregnancy.”

Zhou Zhishan turned to her, his tone serious yet gentle. “Whatever decision you make, your mom and I will support you unconditionally. But I hope it’s a decision you’ve thought through carefully.”

Meeting her father’s gaze, Zhou Youling nodded earnestly.

Rong Huiying, however, was clearly displeased. “What, is it so hard for the Zhou Family to raise a child? I can provide the best education, the best environment, everything this child needs-except for that useless father.”

Zhou Youling was momentarily speechless. “…”

Zhou Zhishan then asked, “Aren’t you worried the Fu Family might try to take the child away from you?”

“Why should they get the child? Lingling is already divorced. Once this baby is born, it belongs to the Zhou Family,” Rong Huiying scoffed. “Let the Fu Family stew in regret! Let them regret it so much it eats them alive! And if they really try to fight me for the child, I’m not afraid. I’ve already consulted a lawyer. Legally, this baby belongs to the Zhou Family.”

Zhou Zhishan shook his head in resignation, but a faint smile crept onto his lips.

Zhou Youling instinctively touched her belly.

She felt a deep, genuine joy.

When she first learned of her pregnancy at the hospital, she hadn’t panicked. Instead, her mind was filled with dreams of the future.

She had wanted a child so badly, and now heaven had granted her wish.

Even if the price was steep.

Still, things weren’t as bad as they could have been.

Rong Huiying turned to Zhou Zhishan, her tone sharp. “Lingling’s pregnancy must not be revealed to the Fu Family. We can’t afford to stir up trouble.”

Zhou Zhishan chuckled. “Do you plan to keep it a secret from them forever?”

Rong Huiying shot back, “Why not? Why should they have to know?”

Zhou Zhishan sighed in defeat. “Alright, alright, whatever you say.”

“As it should be-what I say goes.”