After Lin Feng went upstairs, Zhang Yuxi's expression turned peculiar. "You said your period is many days late? And you've been drowsy and too lazy to move lately?"

An Lan was taken aback for a moment before smiling. "You don't think I'm pregnant, do you? Liu Bo and I used protection that night. It's impossible."

Zhang Yuxi asked again, "Then how many days late is your period?"

The question stumped An Lan. "Let me think… By rights, I should have gotten it at the end of August or the beginning of September…" Her face suddenly paled, and she shrieked, "Holy shit, it's been thirty days…!" Today was September 27th; her period should have started on August 27th!

Zhang Yuxi's expression soured. "I'm taking you to the hospital!"

An Lan, her face pale, shook her head in protest. "No, I don't want to! Just go to the pharmacy and get me some test strips."

Zhang Yuxi stood up and said flatly, "Let's go. I'll drive you to the hospital."

When the queen had spoken, An Lan could only surrender.

The hospital was just over ten minutes away. In the car, An Lan called Liu Bo and chewed him out. "Liu Bo, you're dead meat! Just you wait and see how I deal with you when I get back!"

"What did I do? I didn't do anything to provoke you, did I?"

"You did provoke me!!!"

"I'm sorry. I won't make you angry next time, okay? Please don't be mad."

Listening to Liu Bo's readily agreeable apology, An Lan started to panic. With a sharp click, she hung up the phone.

Zhang Yuxi glanced at her. "If you are pregnant, what do you plan to do?"

An Lan snapped defensively, "Get lost! Even if you got pregnant, I wouldn't!"

Zhang Yuxi pulled the car into a parking spot.

"Get out."

"I won't!"

"I said, get… out… of the car!"

I'm freaking out inside. An Lan thought as she miserably got out of the car, muttering that Zhang Yuxi had no sympathy. And she calls herself my best friend! What a load of crap!

Zhang Yuxi took her hand, registered her at the gynecology department, and they settled in to wait.

An Lan sat down, nervously jiggling her leg and trying to reassure herself. I have a 'cold womb.' The doctors mentioned it during my previous check-ups. To get pregnant, I'd have to treat that first. I was getting treatment for a while, but it relapsed, mostly because I ate too many cold things over the summer. I was planning to start treatment again when I got home, but I never got the chance.

"An Lan!"

When her name was called, Zhang Yuxi accompanied her to see the doctor.

After asking about her situation, the doctor looked at An Lan and said, "We'll need a urine sample for a pregnancy test."

This also required payment. Zhang Yuxi went to pay the fee and handed the receipt to a nurse. The nurse gave An Lan a small cup. "Go to the restroom."

A short while later, An Lan came out with the sample, looking deeply uneasy.

The nurse tested the sample, and fifteen seconds later, the result was ready. "You're pregnant."

The two words struck An Lan like a bolt from the blue.

Zhang Yuxi looked at the test strip and asked the nurse to use another one. Seeing An Lan's devastated expression, the nurse kindly did a second test for free.

Pregnant!!

An Lan refused to believe it. There has to be a margin of error!

So, she opted for an ultrasound. Damn it, I refuse to believe it.

Zhang Yuxi paid the fee, and they waited again. When it was An Lan's turn, she took a deep breath and entered the ultrasound room. She felt uncomfortable lying on the examination table as the doctor began the scan.

The doctor adjusted the equipment and said to his assistant, "I've found…"

An Lan didn't hear anything after that.

When she walked out of the ultrasound room looking completely crestfallen, Zhang Yuxi knew the result without having to ask. An Lan slumped onto a waiting room chair, her head hung low.

An Lan remained that way for the entire ride back. Zhang Yuxi eventually pulled the car over to the side of the road and broke the silence. "Do you want to keep this child?"

An Lan shook her head, her expression lost and confused. "I don't know."

Zhang Yuxi's heart ached for her. "If you don't want to keep it, I'll go with you to the procedure. I won't even tell Lin Feng." She squeezed her best friend's hand. "No one else will ever know."

An Lan stared at her, dazed, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over her. She had said almost the exact same thing to Zhang Yuxi when she was pregnant.

In that moment, An Lan thought about Zhang Yuxi's children. If she hadn't decided to keep them, what would have happened? In hindsight, giving birth to them was the right decision. Leaving Lin Feng aside, the children themselves were little angels. I've occasionally dreamed of having my own kids, too, but it was always just a passing thought, never something I took seriously. But this time… this time it's real. I'm pregnant!

Zhang Yuxi could see the struggle in her eyes. "An Lan, no matter what you decide, I will support you."

Just as An Lan had once supported her.

An Lan hesitated before asking, "Back then… why did you decide to have the kids?"

Zhang Yuxi thought for a moment before replying, "My reasons back then don't apply to your situation now." I had just broken up with Zhang Fuyong, and I ran away in a fit of anger. I decided to have the children then. But your situation is completely different. Your parents are looking forward to this, and I'm sure Liu Bo is, too. You can't compare your circumstances to what mine were.

An Lan spoke, her voice weak and helpless. "I just don't know what to do… If I choose to have this baby, I'll lose my freedom. You know how much I love my untethered life. I don't want anything tying me down."

Zhang Yuxi understood her perfectly. "Look at me. I'm doing great now, aren't I? And my kids are adorable, right? Besides, whenever you lose something, you often gain something else in return."

Zhang Yuxi and An Lan talked for a long time that afternoon. No matter what, even if she prepared for the worst, An Lan had options.

An Lan took a deep breath, her expression firming with resolve. "Alright. I'll have this baby."

It's just giving birth, what's there to be afraid of? If you could choose to have your children under such difficult circumstances back then, this is nothing! A boundless courage filled her heart at the thought.

Zhang Yuxi smiled. "Well, I've been comforting you for half the day. I should get back. What about you?"

An Lan simply raised an eyebrow and gave a cold, sharp laugh without saying a word.

***

"Mommy, eat!" a small voice said.

Zhang Yuxi took the morsel and ate it in one bite, smiling. "Delicious!"

Looking at her little angel, Sanbao, Zhang Yuxi felt incredibly grateful for her past decision.

Sanbao fed her another piece.

Lin Feng came out with a plate of fruit. "Sanbao, eat your own. Daddy cut some fruit for Mommy."

Sanbao hummed in acknowledgement.

Just as Zhang Yuxi popped a piece of honeydew into her mouth, Lin Feng casually asked, "Is An Lan pregnant?"

Zhang Yuxi nearly choked, which startled Lin Feng. She frantically gulped down some water before she could swallow, then stared at him with wide eyes. "Honey, how did you know?"

Lin Feng looked at her as if it were obvious. "I overheard part of your conversation earlier, and I saw how you deliberately sent me away. Then you came back in such a good mood. What else could it be but An Lan being pregnant?"

Zhang Yuxi was speechless for a moment, then quickly said, "Honey, you have to pretend you don't know. I promised An Lan I wouldn't tell anyone. I can't say anything until she announces it herself. I can't betray my best friend."

Lin Feng chuckled. "Alright, I won't say a word."

Zhang Yuxi nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Okay!"

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