“Dad.” Xuan Yanyu narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why are you so set on Ningning being your daughter-in-law when you haven’t even met her?”

Xuan Shi’an gave a low snort. “You already say Ningning’s name so naturally — of course I have to be pleased with her as my daughter-in-law.”

If not for the fact that Yuner had only just woken up and he was worried about overwhelming him with too much information, he would have told him on the very first day.

For now, the priority was to deal with the Shiyao situation. He could not allow the Yan Family’s young lady to be wronged.

The Yan Family’s young lady was the Xuan Family’s benefactor. This marriage was something he absolutely had to bring about.

Xuan Yanyu paused, mildly startled. Ningning? How had that name slipped out of his mouth just like that?

Xuan Shi’an gave him an exasperated look. “Hurry up and settle that meddlesome trouble of yours. I’ll have you know, your father sweated and wept his way to the position we’re in today — and I didn’t do it to hand the family fortune over to someone else. Everything the Xuan Family has can only go to my future grandchildren.”

Xuan Yanyu’s lips curved slightly. His knuckle-defined fingers scrolled idly through his phone, his voice carrying a faint huskiness. “Dad, I actually came back on the day of Qingchen’s birthday — I just didn’t tell you. Shiyao was at the birthday banquet too, and the timing would line up. If you don’t believe me, you can check for yourself.”

“You… really?” Xuan Shi’an studied his son — slumped lazily on the sofa — with a suspicious look, then said seriously, “Is she holding something over you?”

The man reached into his suit pocket and fished out a lighter, turning it lazily between his fingers a couple of times. A faint smile played at his lips. “Who would dare threaten me?”

Xuan Shi’an was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said, “Sit down with Shiyao this afternoon and go for a paternity test. I need to confirm whether the child she’s carrying is my grandchild.”

Xuan Yanyu slowly shook his head, then lowered his eyes, stretched his long legs out carelessly over the armrest of the sofa, and appeared to drift off to sleep.

Xuan Shi’an ground his back teeth, furious but too fond of him to actually hit him. He had no choice but to soften his voice. “Give me a reason.”

“There’s a risk of miscarriage.”

“Go to the private hospital under Xuan Group. Have a senior team of specialists conduct the procedure — the risk would be minimized.”

“No.” Xuan Yanyu stretched his arms out lazily, stood up, clapped a hand on Xuan Shi’an’s shoulder, and said with a smile, “Dad, please don’t go saying things carelessly outside. You know perfectly well that the outside world believes Shiyao is my girlfriend — so how could the child she’s carrying possibly belong to someone else?”

Xuan Shi’an balled his fist, restraining the urge to give Xuan Yanyu a good punch. “Girlfriend? Shiyao is, at most, a temporary guest staying in our home. The Xuan Family’s daughter-in-law cannot be her, no matter what. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve set my heart on the Yan Family’s young lady. The only name that can belong to your wife is Yan Yuning.”

“Uncle… Uncle Xuan.” Shiyao stood just a few steps away from them, tears in her eyes, the color completely drained from her face.

The gap was too great. No matter what she did, they would never accept her…

Xuan Shi’an felt not the slightest embarrassment. He looked at Shiyao and said plainly, “Go for a paternity test this afternoon.”

“Dad.” Xuan Yanyu’s brow furrowed slightly.

“There’s no need, Uncle Xuan.” Shiyao raised her reddened eyes, a smile full of bitterness on her face. “A’Yu and I have never dated. I’m not his girlfriend. And this child… I don’t want…”

Xuan Yanyu’s gaze darkened, and he cut Shiyao off with a cool tone. “This child was unplanned.”

“Is that so?” Xuan Shi’an stared at the sobbing Shiyao, his voice low and measured. “You’ve never been in a relationship with Yuner. You’re not his girlfriend. You have no connection to our Yuner whatsoever. Then whose child are you carrying?”

“I… I… the child…” Whether unwilling to answer or simply unable to, Shiyao swayed and began to collapse toward the floor.

Xuan Yanyu exchanged a glance with Ye Chen, who immediately understood and stepped forward to catch Shiyao before she hit the ground.

A knowing light flickered in Xuan Shi’an’s eyes. He looked at Xuan Yanyu, his face breaking into a cheerful grin. “Since you and Shiyao have no relationship, clarify that to the public right away. I can’t have my future daughter-in-law get the wrong idea.”

“Dad, while it’s true that Shiyao and I have never been in a relationship, the child she’s carrying does have something to do with me.” Xuan Yanyu pinched the bridge of his nose, resigned. “Please stop saying things that upset Shiyao — it’s not good for the pregnancy.”

“That’s right, Master Xuan. Otherwise, why would Young Master Xuan acknowledge the child?” Ye Chen added.

“You two… say whatever you like. Regardless, I will never acknowledge a child with no blood connection to our Xuan Family and of unknown origin.” Xuan Shi’an glared at Shiyao, who was feigning a faint, and strode out of the main hall.

Never mind the way Yuner and Ye Chen were playing off each other — he was confident that the child Shiyao was carrying had absolutely nothing to do with Yuner.

Hadn’t Shiyao herself admitted as much? She said she had never been in a relationship with Yuner, and that she was not his girlfriend.

He knew his Yuner. Before any relationship was confirmed, Yuner would never cross any line with a woman.

Xuan Yanyu walked forward a few paces, brow furrowed as he looked down at Shiyao, her lashes still trembling. “Don’t mind what my dad said. Focus on taking care of yourself.”

Shiyao opened her eyes. Tears slipped uncontrollably from the corners, trailing down her face. She gave Ye Chen an apologetic nod, then looked at Xuan Yanyu, her voice thick with quiet sobs.

“A’Yu… if it weren’t me standing here right now, but your actual girlfriend — someone your father thought just as little of — would you still tell her not to mind?”

“I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let her suffer.” He left those words behind and walked out of the main hall.

“Ha.” Shiyao pressed her hand over her slightly rounded abdomen, her eyes dry and aching. “Right. If he truly loved her, how could he let her suffer.”

But she had suffered so much…

Why wouldn’t he come hold her, comfort her…

Ye Chen rubbed the tip of his nose. Young Master Xuan really did have no filter when it came to saying things like that.

Feeling a wave of cramping pain in her abdomen, Shiyao grabbed Ye Chen’s arm in alarm, unable to suppress the sob in her voice. “My stomach… it hurts so much. The baby…”

Ye Jian’s expression shifted as he looked at Ye Chen. “Get her to the hospital now. I’ll go inform Young Master Xuan.”

“Ah… right.” Ye Chen bent down and lifted Shiyao in a bridal carry. With Ye’an driving, the three of them rushed urgently toward the hospital.

Meanwhile, up on the third floor, in a bedroom that was understated yet refined in its furnishings, Xuan Yanyu reclined in a swivel chair, his right hand scrolling through his phone as he opened a video.

In the video, a young woman was dressed in a pale blue long dress covered in a pattern of blue rose vines, paired with a light cardigan in the same color family.

Her elegant swan neck and fair collarbones were exposed, her long hair softly waved and draped over her shoulders. Her lovely fingers pinched a strawberry and she ate it in small, delicate bites.

She looked up at the camera, her delicate little face strikingly beautiful. Her bright eyes were tinged with redness, making her look gentle and soft, sweet and tender.

“Brother, what are you filming?” In the video, the young woman’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.

Her voice was soft and honeyed, her lips faintly stained with strawberry juice — just a touch of red — and paired with her remarkable features, she looked altogether sweet and endearing. It was the kind of thing that made the heart stir.

Xuan Yanyu’s throat moved as he swallowed. He could hear his own heartbeat growing faster and faster.

“Nothing. Your aunt wanted to see you.” Yan Ruijing said offhandedly.

Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased. An unnecessary voice had intruded on an otherwise perfectly good video.

“Don’t film anymore. I’ll go get my phone and video call Auntie.” The young woman popped the strawberry into her mouth, turned, and ran off to the bedroom.

“Hey? Ningning!” Yan Ruijing flipped the camera to face himself, took a moment to admire his own handsome face, then said, “Yu-ge, do you believe me now? I told Ningning that because of something Miss Shi said, you agreed to let me go home and keep her company — and she immediately stopped being upset.”

The video ended there. Something lurched in Xuan Yanyu’s chest — a feeling that something was off, though he couldn’t quite place it.

His gaze drifted back to the chat history. The green speech bubble stood out, almost strikingly so: “How is your sister doing?”

Yan Ruijing: “Yu-ge, don’t worry. Ningning is fine…”

“Is she?” Almost as if driven by something he couldn’t explain, he sent: “Record a video and let me see.”