The Reluctant Bride Book II Chapter 44

Where’s Cheng Yi?

Gu Jiao Wu remembered Cheng Yi’s son’s blue face, and he couldn’t forgive Cheng Yi for not coming to the hospital. Even if Cheng Yi had amnesia, Zheng Jia Ju’s baby boy was still Cheng Yi’s son.

Gu Jiao Wu called one of his assistants.

‘I don’t care what dirty tactics you use,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I want you to bring Cheng Yi to the hospital now.’

Gu Jiao Wu hung up his phone, and sat on the chair in front of Zheng Jia Ju’s bed.

Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t surprised Zheng Jia Ju was sleeping after a painful five hour childbirth. Looking at Zheng Jia Ju made him wonder how much pain Qiao Tan Yuan endured to give birth to Xiao Bao.

Gu Jiao Wu knew Zheng Jia Ju would be sleeping for a while so he walked upstairs to the ICU. He was relieved to see Cheng Yi’s son’s complexion was more pink than blue.

Later, Gu Jiao Wu returned to Zheng Jia Ju’s hospital room, Zheng Jia Ju was awake.

‘Where’s my baby?’ Zheng Jia Ju asked.

‘Your son is healthy,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘He’s four kilograms.’

‘My son is healthy…’ Zheng Jia Ju said and her heart lightened.

Zheng Jia Ju looked at the door, and at the phone on the bedside table. Her heart didn’t feel as light.

‘He didn’t come…’ Zheng Jia Ju said.

Gu Jiao Wu gritted his teeth, and wondered why his assistant didn’t bring Cheng Yi to the hospital yet.

‘Are you tired?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘Are you hungry?’

‘I’m not hungry,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. She looked at the empty glass on the bedside table. ‘Can you pour me a glass of water?’

‘Um,’ Gu Jiao Wu said and poured Zheng Jia Ju a warm glass of water.

Gu Jiao Wu put the empty glass on the bedside table.

‘The doctor said you refused to have a C-section,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Why did you risk your life and your son’s life?’

Zheng Jia Ju’s eyes and heart stung. ‘In that moment I thought I was going to die. If I died, my son would be alone in the world. So I wanted to die with my son.’

Gu Jiao Wu silently contemplated.

‘How pitiful would my son be in the world with no mother and a father who doesn’t love him?’ Zheng Jia Ju asked. ‘So I thought it’s better if my son and I died together.’

‘Cheng Yi doesn’t remember you?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘Um… I thought he died,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘But he’s alive, and I’m hurting more than when I thought he died…’ She shook her head. ‘No, no. He doesn’t remember me. But it’s better than him dead.’

‘Zheng Jia Ju… he doesn’t remember… you didn’t have to give birth to his son,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

Gu Jiao Wu wanted to give Cheng Yi a beating. He thought Zheng Jia Ju didn’t need to struggle raising a son on her own when Cheng Yi didn’t remember her.

‘I want my son,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘When I thought he was dead, I wanted to give birth to his son. If his son is alive in the world, his blood would run through his son’s body. His son is proof of how much I loved him.’

‘Why do you want to have a man’s son who doesn’t remember you, respect you or love you?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘Even if he doesn’t remember me, respect me or love me I’ll still give birth to his son,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘I think the pain is worth having his son with me.’

Gu Jiao Wu thought the conviction on Zheng Jia Ju’s face looked the same as Qiao Tan Yuan’s face being a protective mother hen over Xiao Bao.

‘Do you think a woman only gives birth to a baby for the man she loves?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘I can’t speak for all women,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘But for me I can go on dates and sleep with a man I don’t love. But I would never give birth to a baby for a man I don’t love.’

Zheng Jia Ju’s words made Gu Jiao Wu think about Qiao Tan Yuan. Did Qiao Tan Yuan risk her life to give birth to Xiao Bao because she loved him? Qiao Tan Yuan used to tell him that she loved him. But he didn’t believe Qiao Tan Yuan truly loved him. He used to think Qiao Tan Yuan was spoiled child who chased after him, because she saw him as a toy she couldn’t have. He thought if he rejected Qiao Tan Yuan enough, she would let go of him. He hated Qiao Tan Yuan when she was a spoiled and a selfish child.

‘What would you do if the man you loved doesn’t love you?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘I’ll do everything to make him accept my love,’ Zheng Jia Ju said.

‘What if he rejects your love?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘I don’t know,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘Perhaps I’ll knock him unconscious or put a spell on him so there’s only me in his head.’

Gu Jiao Wu wondered if Qiao Tan Yuan thought the same way as Zheng Jia Ju. Did Qiao Tan Yuan schemed to give birth to Xiao Bao because she didn’t receive his love?

‘Do you hate him?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘It’s not his fault he doesn’t remember me,’ Zheng Jia Ju said.

Zheng Jia Ju used to think if Cheng Yi saw their son, Cheng Yi would remember her and believe she gave birth to Cheng Yi’s son. But after Cheng Yi refused to be with her while she gave birth to their son, she wasn’t certain Cheng Yi would remember her.

‘Even if he doesn’t remember me, I don’t hate him,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘I love him.’

Zheng Jia Ju’s devotion made Gu Jiao Wu’s heart softened toward Qiao Tan Yuan. He thought Qiao Tan Yuan wasn’t the same hatful person he used to think she was.

End of Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter end