The abandoned daughter of the Lu family turns around and marries a celibate tycoon.

Ms. Xin Rui arrived in a whirlwind, her face unusually stern and disappointed. Without a word, she dragged her pale-faced daughter, still in her pajamas, into the car and drove straight to Corning International.

"Mom! Wait a minute, let me think about it some more..."

"What else do I need to think about?" Xin Rui abruptly stopped, turned around and glared at her, her well-maintained face full of exasperation. "It's almost three months! And I only just found out! Do you want me, your father, and the entire Jin family to become the laughingstock of Haicheng once your belly starts showing?"

She took a deep breath, her tone resolute: "You say you're not even sure who the child's father is? Then he absolutely cannot be kept alive! Bringing a child whose father can't even be confirmed is irresponsible to him, to you, and to the Jin family! He must be dealt with today!"

While Xin Rui turned away to whisper with a doctor she knew about the surgery arrangements, Jin Qiqi quickly pulled out her phone from her sleeve and, with trembling fingers, sent a message to Lu Xiran, whose contact was pinned to the top of her chat list, pleading for help: "Ranran, save me! My mom forced me to come to Kangning International Hospital for an abortion!"

Almost simultaneously with sending the message, Lu Xiran called. Jin Qiqi didn't dare answer, quickly hung up, and sent another message: [I can't answer, think of something quickly!]

Lu Xiran immediately called Xue Jingyan and asked him to delay the surgery as much as possible.

After hanging up the phone, Lu Xiran grabbed her phone and rushed outside, bumping right into Gu Yanshen, who had just finished a video conference and was coming out of his study.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?" Gu Yanshen reached out to support her, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Qiqi's mother is trying to force her to have an abortion!" Lu Xiran's eyes reddened with anxiety as she incoherently explained the situation, "The child is Gu Yanxu's! We have to go find him!"

Gu Yanshen's expression suddenly darkened, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as he instantly grasped the crux of the matter and the urgency of the situation. Without asking any further questions, he decisively put his arm around Lu Xiran's trembling shoulder and strode out with her, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable force: "Don't panic, we'll go there now. That kid lives on the 28th floor."

The elevator descended rapidly. Gu Yanshen directly entered the backup password, and the door opened with a click, releasing a lingering smell of alcohol mixed with a decadent atmosphere. The living room was a mess, with empty bottles and carelessly discarded clothes scattered everywhere.

Gu Yanshen frowned even more deeply, signaling Lu Xiran to wait in the living room while he walked straight to the closed bedroom door and pushed it open without any politeness.

The bedroom curtains were drawn, and the light was dim. Gu Yanxu was fast asleep on the large bed.

Gu Yanshen walked to the window in a few steps and suddenly pulled open the heavy blackout curtains completely.

"Ugh...who is it...turn off the light..." The person on the bed grumbled in dissatisfaction, startled by the bright light, and pulled the blanket over their head, trying to retreat into the darkness.

Gu Yanshen didn't give him that chance. He walked to the bedside, ripped off the blanket, grabbed Gu Yanxu's wrinkled silk pajamas, and with a forceful pull, half-dragged him off the bed.

"Ouch! Me... Brother?!" Gu Yanxu was stunned by the sudden and rough treatment. His hangover-induced brain finally focused, and when he saw Gu Yanshen, whose face was as cold as ice, and Lu Xiran, who was anxiously looking in through the door, most of his remaining sleepiness vanished instantly. "Brother! What are you doing? What... what happened?"

Gu Yanshen released his grip, letting him stagger. His eyes were sharp as knives, and his voice, though not loud, was icy cold, striking Gu Yanxu's newly awakened nerves:

"Jin Qiqi is pregnant."

Lu Xiran then said urgently, "Qiqi has been forcibly taken to Kangning International by her mother, and they're arranging an abortion surgery immediately! Get up!"

"What?!" Gu Yanxu froze completely, his face drained of color, his pupils dilated in shock, as if he couldn't understand the meaning of those words combined. "Pregnant...pregnant? Mine? How is that possible? She clearly said..." He recalled the passionate encounter more than two months ago, when, having exhausted all means of protection, they had indeed had an intimate encounter without any barriers. But afterwards, Jin Qiqi had nonchalantly waved her hand, saying she had taken medication and that he shouldn't worry about it.

How could this be...?

Gu Yanshen scrutinized his rapidly changing expression, his tone cold and imposing: "Regardless of what happened before, this is the reality now. As the child's father, you must take responsibility."

responsibility?

These two words struck Gu Yanxu like a heavy hammer, making his heart feel heavy and a complex emotion that was hard to describe welled up inside him.

After the shock came bewilderment, and even a hint of instinctive resistance.

He never imagined the word "father" would be associated with him. He was a notorious playboy in Haicheng, living a carefree life and believing in living for the moment. To him, marriage and children were nothing more than the heaviest shackles. Growing up in the Gu family, a veritable melting pot, he had witnessed too many of his parents' seemingly respectable marriages, where each member was secretly pursuing their own interests. He had also seen enough of his mother's exhaustion as she forced a smile and endured in silence to maintain appearances. He had made up his mind early on that he would never step into the grave of marriage; remaining free and enjoying a carefree life was the right thing to do.

But now, an unexpected little life has suddenly barged in, forcibly placing the identity of "father" in front of him.

Jin Qiqi was held down by Xin Rui and underwent a series of tedious examinations that Xue Jingyan had "urgently added" to her schedule. Seeing that Lu Xiran and the others had not yet arrived, Xue Jingyan had no choice but to call a meeting with the doctors and postpone the surgery time again.

The atmosphere in the waiting area was tense.

Just then, Lu Xiran's hurried figure appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Ranran?" Xin Rui looked up and saw her, initially surprised, then her sharp gaze swept over Jin Qixi, who was standing silently to the side with her head down. She understood, and lowered her voice with a forceful tone, "It's no use calling anyone. This matter must be handled by me."

But when facing Lu Xiran, Xin Rui stood up and warmly took Lu Xiran's hand: "Oh, Ranran, it's been so long! The last time I saw you was at the wedding. Now everyone in Haicheng knows that our CEO Gu is completely captivated by you, it's truly enviable."

She changed the subject, glancing meaningfully at Jin Qiqi, her tone both expectant and admonishing: "I just hope our Qiqi can be like you, finish her studies peacefully, find a good family to marry into after graduation, and have a smooth marriage. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Don't follow those messy paths and ruin your reputation and future."

Jin Qiqi bit her lower lip and turned her face away.

"Auntie," Lu Xiran gently squeezed Xin Rui's hand back, "Qiqi... she's actually much better off than me. I've gotten through a lot thanks to her help."

"Ranran, Auntie knows you sisters have a good relationship," Xin Rui said, her tone becoming more serious, and she tightened her grip on Lu Xiran's hand. "But the better your relationship is, the more you need to think about her long-term future. You can't let her do whatever she wants! In these kinds of situations, one wrong step can lead to a series of mistakes!"

"Auntie, about this matter..." Lu Xiran was about to offer more advice when her gaze suddenly passed over Xin Rui and she saw Gu Yanshen walking quickly towards the elevator alone.

Lu Xiran's heart tightened, and she silently asked Gu Yanshen with her eyes: Gu Yanxu?