Chapter 114: The Crematorium Upstairs and Downstairs

Jiang Zao had been wrestling with her thoughts, but fate did not grant her the luxury of time to do so.

That night, a loud thud echoed from Jiang Zao's room as something heavy hit the floor, followed by Zhou Lichuan’s muffled groan.

Zhou Jiayan, sitting on the sofa, suddenly found herself lifted off the ground as Du Bin hoisted her up. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Du Bin ground his molars. “Take your laptop—we’re going upstairs to sort this out.”

“Why?”

Clearing his throat, Du Bin said, “Mr. Zhou and Miss Jiang need to talk.”

Before Zhou Jiayan could react, she was slung over Du Bin’s shoulder. He bent down to grab her laptop and a stack of documents, carrying both the woman and the papers up the stairs.

Once placed in the bedroom, Zhou Jiayan looked at Du Bin with a doleful expression. “Why do I have to avoid being around when those two are talking? I can’t even hear what they say in there. How does it affect me?”

Du Bin carefully set down the laptop and files, then stood before her. “I can hear it. It affects me.”

Puzzled, Zhou Jiayan asked, “How does it affect you?”

A faint blush crept onto Du Bin’s otherwise stern face. “Don’t ask. It’s their private business—best not to pry.”

Observing Du Bin’s flushed cheeks, Zhou Jiayan suddenly understood. “No way! Jiang Zao is still heavily pregnant, and Zhou Lichuan can’t wait that much?”

Du Bin ruffled her soft hair. “Mr. Zhou knows what he’s doing. Don’t eavesdrop.”

Zhou Jiayan rolled her eyes and a mischievous smile spread across her face. Kicking off her slippers, she gently rubbed her foot against Du Bin’s calf.

“You’ve been less enthusiastic lately. Is the job my brother gave you really that important? Am I that unimportant?”

Du Bin gave her a deep, appraising look.

The young woman’s smile blossomed, full of playful teasing.

But he wasn’t fooled.

“You still have three thousand words to write tonight. Flirting with me won’t get me to write them for you.”

Her expression instantly fell, the sting of being seen through not pleasant.

“Who said I wanted you to write it? I just... wanted to slack off a little,” she protested.

Du Bin snorted. “Slack off? Then complain you can’t finish and want me to do it for you? It’s your own work—don’t think you can shirk it.”

Zhou Jiayan gave up on trying to get him to do her work and sat back down. “Fine, fine. You’re fair and strict—iron-faced and impartial. I’ll write it myself! Move aside, I’m working late!”

Her pout made Du Bin chuckle. “Alright, no more sulking. I’ve been buried in files all day at the office. Would you really let me keep working when I’m home?”

She snapped, “So what do you want to do? Lie on the bed and zone out?”

Du Bin grabbed a book from the bedside table. “I’ll stay by your side. Just watching you is enough.”

Zhou Jiayan blushed and shyly turned away.

Du Bin didn’t tease her further, settling on the sofa to watch her busily work at the desk.

“Li Baixiu invited me to discuss the next steps of the project near his school tomorrow. We’ll probably come back together, so you don’t need to pick me up,” Du Bin said, glancing at her.

“Okay,” she replied.

“My dad wants to match me with Li Baixiu. Aren’t you jealous I’m going to see him?” she teased.

Du Bin smiled. “Yan Yan, you love me too much. No Li Baixiu stands a chance.”

Comforted by his words, Zhou Jiayan focused on finishing her thesis.

Upstairs, the atmosphere was tender and warm, but downstairs in the other room, it was an entirely different scene.

Zhou Lichuan sat on the floor, massaging his lower back, looking pitifully at Jiang Zao, who sat on the bed.

“Wife…”

“Say it again, and you’re sleeping on the couch,” Jiang Zao warned.

He sighed and changed his tone. “Zao Zao… I was wrong.”

Jiang Zao narrowed her eyes in a dangerous arc. “What exactly were you wrong about?”

Zhou Lichuan blinked—how could he know? He hadn’t even gotten the chance to do anything. Just saying “wife” once had gotten him kicked off the bed.

Sitting up, Jiang Zao’s growing belly made her movements somewhat cumbersome.

“Why should I reconcile with you?”

Straightening his posture like a schoolboy, Zhou Lichuan replied seriously, “Because I realize where I went wrong and I will never make the same mistake again.”

Jiang Zao sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at him. “And then?”

“From now on, I’ll listen to everything you say. Whatever you forbid, I won’t do. Whatever you ask, I won’t hesitate.”

Finally, Jiang Zao softened. “Alright. Starting tomorrow, go back to work properly. Don’t take any unauthorized leave except on official holidays.”

Confused, Zhou Lichuan asked, “Why are you suddenly focusing on my work?”

Her tone turned grave. “Because you’ve been too relaxed lately. It’s been months since the New Year. How many days have you really spent at the office? Even if Du Bin is capable, now is not the time to hand over the company to him and stay in the background.”

“But I want to be by your side more. I…”

“You just said you’d listen to me. Are you breaking that now?”

“…I’m listening.”

Seeing his obedient expression, Jiang Zao finally softened her voice. “Lin Rui is holding Zhou Kuan hostage. I’m worried something might happen at the company. You need to focus on work, don’t be distracted by me.”

Zhou Lichuan’s eyes locked onto Jiang Zao’s. Slowly, he reached out, half-kneeling by the bed, and kissed her through her prominent belly.

After the kiss, he lowered his voice. “Zao Zao, I truly love you so much. I can’t bear for you to be uncomfortable. I worry about your mood during pregnancy, so I want to stay with you longer. With my beloved wife and child at home, I’m afraid the battles outside will hurt you.”

Jiang Zao stroked his head, her gaze lowered. “After everything we’ve been through, I no longer have the innocence I once had. Your position is difficult, and though I understand, I can’t truly forgive the pain you caused. I’m not angry. I’m willing to accept you again—for the child, for the company, for the uncles and aunts—but not for myself.”

They spoke separately, yet each understood the other’s meaning.

“I won’t leave again, nor reject you anymore. But you have to give me more time.”

A flicker of despair crossed Zhou Lichuan’s handsome eyes.

“Zao Zao, may I ask why you’re willing to have this child?”

Jiang Zao answered honestly, without a hint of concealment. “Because I want someone connected to me by blood who will never betray me. My mother died when I was four. Jiang Jingyuan was like he was. My grandmother passed away from illness when I was eighteen. There’s no one in this world truly related to me. Only this child.”

Kneeling there, Zhou Lichuan looked up at Jiang Zao’s rounded belly. For the first time, he felt jealousy—not toward a person, but toward an unborn fetus. He wanted Jiang Zao’s affection, all of it, just for himself.

“Zao Zao… I will be the best father in the world. Please don’t leave me, okay?”