February 3rd.
The eighth day of the Lunar New Year.
Su Yan held her daughter’s hand, nagging nonstop as they walked.
“When you get ho, take it easy. Once your belly starts to show, don’t do any heavy lifting, got it? Let Liu Changqing handle the housework. And if you ever feel bored, just have him take you downstairs for a walk in the park…”
“Mm-hmm, I know…”
Goodbyes were always hard.
Ti spent with family was always so fleeting.
In the blink of an eye, their week together had co to an end.
An Yuanyao’s eyes turned red with emotion.
She looked at her mother’s well-maintained, gentle face, raised her hand to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, and took a deep breath, steeling herself.
“When I’m close to my due date… you and Dad have to co see , okay?”
“We will, we will. We definitely will.”
“Then… I’ll get in the car now…”
She turned and looked at her younger brother and sister-in-law.
“Qianxun, you two take good care of your baby too…”
“Got it, sis. You can co see us anyti, stop acting like it’s so forever farewell.”
“Mm…”
She nodded, took one last look at her family, then turned around and began walking toward the car.
What should’ve taken seven or eight steps felt like a long, never-ending road.
Trying her best to hold back, she was just about to call out again when—
Before the words left her mouth:
“Alright, enough. What is this, a drama scene? About to give a monologue or what?”
Liu Changqing grabbed her arm and cut her off mid-sentence, his tone helpless.
Ever since this woman got pregnant, her attitude toward him had been shifting at a visibly alarming rate.
Before the pregnancy?
She clung to him day and night—couldn’t bear to let go.
Now?
Her temper had toughened up.
She wouldn’t even let him touch her at night.
Their huge bed?
He’d been banished to the very edge.
Said sothing like—
“I’m afraid you’ll roll into my belly while sleeping…”
Please. No one sleeps more rigidly than he does!
Still, though he had complaints, Liu Changqing understood.
Pregnancy changed people.
He'd read about cases where won developed postnatal depression because of emotional strain during pregnancy. Even the doctors at the hospital had told him—do not lose your temper. Always be patient.
Thinking of that, Liu Changqing softened his tone.
He looked at An Yuanyao gently and said with care:
“Co on, get in the car. Once the baby’s born, I’ll bring my parents over to visit too.”
“Changqing…”
An Yuanyao hesitated, realizing she had been overreacting a bit. She nodded, gave her family one last wave, and climbed into the car.
After making sure she was seated, Liu Changqing closed the door and turned to Su Yan.
“We’ll head off now.”
“Alright, drive safe.”
With the farewells done, Liu Changqing got in the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove away.
Su Yan, with her son and daughter-in-law, stood together and watched the car disappear.
Suddenly, Su Yan frowned. Sothing occurred to her.
She looked around and asked,
“Where’s your dad?”
“No idea… He was just here a minute ago.”
“Forget it. That old man’s always sneaking off to do weird things.”
Su Yan said with a sigh.
What she didn’t know was—
An Quancheng hadn’t been able to bear watching his daughter leave.
The mont the mother-daughter farewell began, he quietly slipped back into the house.
A father’s tenderness... is sothing he hides in his heart.
Never to be spoken aloud.
On the road.
All the way ho, their daughter was acting unusually quiet.
During the long car ride, she barely said a word.
This worried An Yuanyao, who sat next to her in the backseat. She kept asking if she felt unwell.
Liu Xiazhi only shook her head silently.
But her eyes… they kept glancing toward the passenger seat—
Where her brother sat.
The ride continued in silence.
By late afternoon, they finally returned ho.
As Liu Changqing unlocked the door, Xiazhi imdiately darted inside.
She rushed to grab her brother’s cotton slippers and laid them out carefully on the floor.
Both parents noticed this little act of flattery.
Liu Zhiyue, however, stood silently, his face stiff and unreadable.
But when he saw his sister's forced smile—trying hard to win him over—he gave in with a sigh.
“Fine. Alright. I promise—I won’t get you those workbooks.”
“Best brother ever!”
Xiazhi shouted shalessly.
The emotional burden that had been weighing her down for a week vanished in an instant.
She quickly slipped on her slippers and ran off happily to her room.
SLAM!
Her door shut with a thud, leaving the three adults standing by the entrance.
From this mont on, Liu Xiazhi was going to enjoy her glorious winter break.
Liu Changqing stood there silently for a while.
Then he turned to An Yuanyao.
“Dance class starts tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah, full-day sessions begin February 3rd.”
“Alright. Let’s drop her off first thing in the morning.”
Back in her room, Liu Xiazhi had no idea—
Her “beautiful winter vacation”...
was already over.
Once ho, Liu Changqing opened all the windows to let in so fresh air.
Then he found An Yuanyao and said,
“I need to head out for a bit. I’ll bring back so stewed hen soup for you—no ti to cook anything this late. Are you hungry?”
“Not really… Been sitting in the car so long I don’t have much of an appetite.”
“Okay, go lie down and rest for a while. I’ll grab sothing for the kids too. We’re out of whole milk at ho.”
“Got it.”
Their brief conversation ended, and Liu Changqing headed out again.
He drove off into the night.
He was going to et the family of the driver who had been imprisoned.
Liu Changqing was feeling more and more like sothing wasn’t adding up.
He had approached Chu Fang initially because she also held a deep grudge against Li Chongming.
A year ago—before Liu Changqing had entered this world—his predecessor hadn’t yet divorced Li Wanran.
At that ti, Li Chongming wouldn’t have had much reason to offer soone else such a hefty deal to take the fall.
So then…
Could it be…
Ye Rong had reached out to the driver before Li Wanran had ever gotten involved?
Had she done it… for so other purpose?
Liu Changqing couldn’t quite figure it out.
Even if he tried to imagine himself as Ye Rong, he still couldn’t understand what her motive might have been.
That woman’s logic clearly didn’t operate on a normal wavelength.
Still—whatever her motive—
The current situation worked heavily in his favor.
All he needed now…
Was the truth.
Night had fallen.
Liu Changqing drove on,
down a road
from which there was no turning back.
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