Jin Yiken’s parents were returning to the country today, so he should be at home enjoying the “nourishment” of family affection right now—difficult to break away. After Long Qi called him, he arrived half an hour later than they had actually agreed.

Light rain fell continuously outside the building. Long Qi stood at the window with her arms crossed, pacing. After Jin Yiken entered, he first placed the room card on the table, then grabbed three grapes from the fruit plate on the coffee table as he walked over. She watched him through the window’s reflection.

As he ate the first grape, he asked: “What’s the matter?”

Long Qi beckoned him over with her hand.

So he walked over. The two faced each other. The two grapes rolled back and forth in his palm like he was weighing two jade balls.

Outside the window, rain threads pattered against the glass. The light was cold and clear.

Inside the window, she said: “I’m pregnant.”

As she spoke, she crossed her arms and looked at his face. He happened to be looking out the window, only looking at her after she finished speaking.

Long Qi continued: “It’s yours.”

Jin Yiken initially showed no expression, only putting the second grape in his mouth. His other hand went into his pants pocket as he said: “That’s impossible.”

She knew what he meant and replied: “Do you think you wore protection every time?”

“You know best—making a woman take morning-after pills for my own pleasure? How could I possibly do that?”

He then asked calmly: “What did you use to test it?”

Long Qi didn’t answer his question, only saying: “Jin Yiken, do you still remember those few days two months ago when you tricked me into going to another province?”

“I remember,” he added, “I told you it wasn’t tricking—it was celebrating your birthday.”

“That night I had just finished shooting magazine photos and hadn’t even removed my makeup when I was pulled into your car. You said you’d take me home but ended up driving all the way to another province. When I realized I couldn’t go back that day, I threw things in the hotel room. Then you went out.”

He nodded.

“Do you remember what you went out to do?”

“Someone invited me to play video games.”

“Not just video games. You also drank alcohol.”

He listened while putting the third grape in his mouth.

Long Qi said: “After that, your friend helped carry you back. Do you remember what you did that night?”

He neither nodded nor shook his head, only looking into her eyes.

“Do you remember or not that the next morning I had bruises on my back and legs? Do you remember?”

He said: “You said you fell while taking a shower.”

“Then think about it again now.”

The two looked at each other. The sound of rain clearly beat in their ears. Weak daylight fell on the carpet, fell on Jin Yiken’s arm.

He remained silent for a full minute before finally seeming to recall something, saying: “That night.”

Long Qi nodded.

Only then did his expression undergo subtle changes. He squinted and lowered his head for a while, then confirmed with her again: “I didn’t wear protection?”

“You didn’t wear protection, and I didn’t take pills, because I slept until the third day before waking up.”

“That night I…”

“More than twice.” Long Qi answered him crisply and decisively.

Having come to this, Jin Yiken only looked at her, looked at her for a long time. Long Qi also looked at him. And just as she was about to say her next words—

His phone suddenly rang.

Long Qi stopped talking, letting him answer first. His brain was probably still processing, so he answered absent-mindedly. The caller was perhaps his family or perhaps Bai Aiting, but from his distracted tone, the precise identity couldn’t be determined. He spoke a few sentences then hung up. Then he continued placing his attention on her. Long Qi had finished formulating her thoughts and asked: “What do you plan to do going forward?”

Jin Yiken didn’t answer immediately. She took the initiative to add: “Keeping it is definitely impossible. Given both our circumstances and various environmental factors, it’s not practical. Besides, you definitely also don’t…”

“I want it.” He interrupted. His thoughts hadn’t been sorted out yet, but he had to stake out a position first. “Don’t make up your mind yet. I want it.”

Long Qi’s words were stopped in her throat. The two fell into brief silence again. A few seconds later she spoke again: “But Jin Yiken, you also know that if your family finds out about this, you’re finished. At school you’re also finished…”

“I know all that.” He understood these things particularly well. He was more mature than her, smarter than her, quicker-thinking than her. He was also thinking about the situation at home, also considering the school’s reaction. He was stunned at first, but now his brain was starting to work, only his train of thought was going in the opposite direction from Long Qi’s. He also directed her: “You go sit down. Don’t talk for now.”

“Don’t be impulsive and hot-headed for a moment. I’m not asking you to take responsibility. Right now I’m discussing with you how to handle this, not discussing the future with you.”

“Go sit down and don’t talk for now.”

“Hey, Jin Yiken,” Long Qi’s voice suddenly intensified, speaking seriously, “this kind of thing can’t be decided by you alone, okay? What are you thinking in your head? No matter how mature I am, I’m still just a high school student. We definitely can’t keep it. Besides, your family will absolutely explode.”

“Be quiet for a bit.” He still insisted on his view, patting her shoulder to get her to go to the sofa. “Let me think about this.”

“I can’t let you think,” Long Qi pushed his hand away. “How about this—I’ll choose the hospital. Next week when we have time, we’ll start doing check-ups. You don’t have to come for the check-ups, but on the day of the surgery you must accompany me. I can’t handle it alone.”

“Will you listen to me?” “Will you listen to me!”

As soon as Jin Yiken started to lose his temper, she immediately snapped back. Then before he could get even angrier, she quickly said: “I know what this child will turn out like if it’s born!”

She pointed at herself: “Like me!”

Once Long Qi said this, Jin Yiken stopped making sounds. She continued: “My mom was only seventeen when she had me. My dad is a German man. I’ve never seen him, because I’m the product of their one-night stand! He doesn’t know I exist and I don’t know what he looks like. I don’t even know what his name is!”

“Qi.”

“After my mom gave birth to me back then, her ambition was huge. But she couldn’t hold out for even five years before she married. When I was eight, she had a set of twins. The whole family is living especially happily now, you know? Just as happy as your family and Bai Aiting’s family! I just wonder why she even bothered having me back then!”

As Long Qi spoke, she kept refusing to accept his approach, until he increased his force and she was finally pulled over. But her emotions had already been stirred up. She pushed hard against his shoulders and cursed: “If you had the ability, you should have held back that day! You shouldn’t have gotten a hotel room, shouldn’t have drunk alcohol! Shouldn’t have thought about that thing as soon as you got back to the room! When I said I didn’t want to, did you hear me? Besides, can you even marry me!”

Jin Yiken pressed his chin against her forehead and let her curse at him for a full five or six minutes, until her emotions slowly stabilized along with the loss of her strength. Only then did their figures quiet down in the rainy light.

Finally, Long Qi took a breath.

She said: “At most I’ll give you one more week to think about it.”

…

“Anyway, my attitude is set. One week is just giving you buffer time. My decision—I won’t change it.”

He breathed heavily, still not speaking, only patting and stroking her shoulder with his hand.