Gu Zi pounded softly on his chest, tears spilling from her eyes as her voice broke. "Su Shen, do you not want me anymore? Do you think I’m fat now? Ugly? You don’t even hold me, don’t come close to me... If you didn’t want me, why did you get me pregnant in the first place? Why, Su Shen?"
For a moment, Su Shen stood frozen—then realization dawned. She wasn’t unwell in the physical sense—this was emotional. Hormonal. Psychological. And the panic that rose in his chest was swift and fierce.
He reached out immediately, his voice gentler than silk. "Gu Zi... how could I possibly dislike you? You’re still my girl. My gorgeous, beautiful girl. You’re not fat! You’re glowing. Please don’t cry, darling... don’t cry."
As he spoke, he carefully wiped away her tears, his fingertips barely brushing her delicate skin, terrified that the calluses on his hands might hurt her.
She didn’t know it, but every tear that rolled down her cheek felt like a dagger to his chest. And he blamed himself. The doctor had warned him about mood swings—how pregnancy hormones could send emotions into chaos. But still, he hadn’t been thoughtful enough. Hadn’t noticed early enough. Hadn’t cared for her heart the way he should have.
Gu Zi, observing the tenderness in his eyes, the guilt swimming just beneath his gaze, softened a little. It didn’t seem like he was lying. So she looked up at him with a pout and asked, "Then why haven’t you been holding me when we sleep?"
Ah. So that was it.
Su Shen sighed, somewhere between amusement and helplessness. "My darling girl... I’m still a man. When I’m that close to you, I’m afraid I might not be able to control myself. And believe me—you haven’t gotten ugly. Not one bit. Your skin is glowing. You’re breathtaking."
She narrowed her eyes, still not entirely convinced. Looping her arms around his neck, she leaned in and murmured coyly, "I don’t believe you... unless you kiss me. Right now."
Su Shen chuckled, the deep affection in his eyes unmistakable. He tilted her chin up and kissed her—softly at first, as if afraid she might shatter in his hands. But desire, long restrained, had a way of warming even the most careful lips. His kiss deepened, wandering from her lips to her slender neck, his hands instinctively drawn to the softness of her body, now fuller, more voluptuous.
Afterward, he cleaned her up meticulously, dabbing away the sweat from her brow, pulling the blankets up to her chin, then drawing her close to him. One arm tucked behind her head, the other rhythmically patting her back, as if soothing both her and their unborn child to sleep.
Gu Zi was already drifting off, exhaustion pulling her into slumber, though somewhere in the back of her mind she knew: Su Shen hadn’t let himself finish. He’d stopped—for her. Just like always.
And in that moment, she felt safer than she ever had.
Later that night, she dreamed.
In her dream, she stood on the edge of a high cliff, the wind cold against her skin. A large truck came careening down a slope below, speeding faster and faster before crashing violently into a massive boulder. It flipped onto its side, crumpling like paper. From inside, someone was screaming—calling for help. But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t make out who it was.
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