"Congratulations, Mrs. Shang, you're pregnant," the doctor said.
Taking the report, Qin Cha's lips curved slightly, adding a soft warmth to her already stunning face. Her amber eyes sparkled with joy.
She read through the entire test report carefully, word by word, and burned the ultrasound image into her memory.
Six weeks pregnant.
This was her and Shang Jue's first child since they got married three years ago.
After confirming that the baby was healthy, Qin Cha quickly left the hospital and told the driver, "Go back to Yipin Mansion, and drive slowly."
She opened her contacts list and called the first person saved on it.
The phone rang three times before a cold male voice answered, "I told you not to call my private number during work hours."
The smile on Qin Cha's lips froze.
Yeah, it was five in the evening. Shang Jue was still working.
He hated getting personal calls while working. If she wanted to talk to him at this time, she had to go through his assistant. He would get back to her only if he had time.
Shang Jue was a serious workaholic. He usually worked until midnight and could go months without a break.
Qin Cha never knew when he'd be free, so she always contacted his assistant whenever she needed anything.
That had never changed in their three years of marriage.
But this time was different.
"I'm sorry," Qin Cha said softly, her voice calm and gentle like a spring breeze. There was no trace of annoyance. "It's just something really important."
Shang Jue's voice didn't show any emotion. "What is it?"
Qin Cha looked down at the pregnancy report in her hand. Her eyes were full of softness. "I want to tell you in person. Can you come home early? Or should I come to your office?"
Wouldn't he be happy to know they were going to have a baby?
Right then, in the conference room, Shang Jue's face was clearly annoyed. "Qin Cha," he said slowly, warning her, "don't call me with meaningless things during work again."
Qin Cha's fingers tightened around her phone, her knuckles turning white. She lowered her eyes and gently touched her flat belly. The joy on her face had already faded. "Okay. I understand. I'm sorry."
Shang Jue was about to hang up, but then he remembered something. He raised the phone back to his ear. "Shen Mingyue is staying at our house. Make sure she's comfortable."
His tone wasn't asking. It was commanding.
Shen Mingyue?
Qin Cha's eyelashes trembled slightly. Her voice was soft and shaky. "Why is she staying at our house?"
Shang Jue was clearly out of patience. Before she could even finish her sentence, the call ended with a cold beep.
Qin Cha stared at the phone screen, feeling like her heart dropped straight to the bottom. Most of her excitement about the pregnancy had already disappeared.
He didn't even ask what the urgent thing was. He didn't care. He said her call was meaningless. Shang Jue didn't even bother asking when she'd be home.
Instead, he only reminded her to take care of Shen Mingyue.
Well, as Mrs. Shang, who had contacted his assistant more times than her own husband in the past three years, what right did she have to compete with his precious Shen Mingyue?
Shen Mingyue, the one who grew up with him, who matched him perfectly in status and family background. And she, Qin Cha, was just a nobody who had lost her memory and didn't even know her real identity.
If she hadn't woken up in the Shang family's home after losing her memory, maybe Shen Mingyue would've already become Mrs. Shang by now, because of some so-called sense of responsibility.
But… wasn't Shen Mingyue already married with children? Why was she still involved with Shang Jue?
Lost in thought, the Maybach stopped at the entrance of Yipin Mansion.
Qin Cha got out of the car and saw the servants moving box after box of stuff into the house.
When Zhang Ma saw Qin Cha, she complained with a frown, "Madam, why are you only getting back now? Master told you to entertain Miss Shen, and Miss Shen has been waiting for you all afternoon."
Zhang Ma had grown up with the Shang family and had a certain status in the house.
Qin Cha was used to her attitude. Before, she might've smiled and apologized, but today, she wasn't in the mood. She walked straight inside.
Zhang Ma rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "What's so great about acting high and mighty? If she hadn't used some sneaky methods, Miss Shen might've already given birth to a son and daughter for the master."
She remembered something and her face lit up again. "Fortunately…"
At that moment, Shen Mingyue was in the stairwell directing people as they carried her things upstairs.
"Be careful! These are all valuable jewelry, don't bump them… Oh, Qin Cha, you're back," Shen Mingyue noticed her and smiled, waving her over. "Come take a look. You and Ajue weren't here, so I went ahead and moved my stuff into the guest room. Can you check if it's okay for me to stay there?"
She looked down at Qin Cha, not like a guest, but like the host welcoming someone into her home.
Qin Cha glanced at the elevator stopping on the third floor, her brows tightening slightly.
The only rooms on the third floor suitable for living were the master bedroom and a smaller room next to it.
When she walked upstairs, she saw that Shen Mingyue had moved her luggage into the smaller room beside the master bedroom.
Qin Cha couldn't help but laugh a little. Wasn't Shen Mingyue only supposed to be staying temporarily?
"This room isn't suitable. Miss Shen, why don't you move downstairs? There are several guest rooms on the second floor that are more spacious."
Shen Mingyue said helplessly, "I know it's not ideal to be on the third floor, but I don't feel safe staying on a separate floor by myself. Qin Cha, could you let me stay here just for a bit?"
As she spoke, she moved closer and gently took Qin Cha's hand. "I know you're probably not happy about me staying here, but Ajue said I could pick any room except the master bedroom. You're so generous, Qin Cha—you don't mind, right?"
Generous? Even if Qin Cha had the generosity of a prime minister, she couldn't be generous enough to let her husband's mistress live next door to their bedroom.
Before Qin Cha could even say whether she minded or not, Shen Mingyue paused, then suddenly said, "And… all my stuff has already been moved in and almost unpacked. I'm pregnant now too, so it's not convenient to move again. Please understand."
Qin Cha didn't want to understand, but Shen Mingyue had already made it sound like a done deal, and Ajue had promised her. She couldn't just go against his word.
Qin Cha held back her anger and pulled her hand back. "Fine, stay if you want."
But Shen Mingyue grabbed her hand tighter. "But… Qin Cha, aren't you curious whose child I'm carrying?"
Her husband had died in an accident three months ago. The baby in Shen Mingyue's belly was supposed to be his only heir.
But from the way she said it… Qin Cha stared at her silently.
Shen Mingyue smiled and said, "The baby in my belly is two months old."
Qin Cha's fingers stiffened. Something didn't feel right. Her face stayed calm, but her voice was a little dry as she asked, "So what?"
"So…" Shen Mingyue leaned in closer, her eyes sly. "So, the baby I'm carrying is actually Ah Jue's."
That sentence hit Qin Cha like a rock thrown into water, sending shockwaves through her whole body. Her body went cold and stiff.
Shen Mingyue said the baby was Ah Jue's. Ah Jue's child…
Qin Cha's mind went blank. She instinctively wanted to pull her hand away and go question Ajue.
But right then, Shen Mingyue suddenly stumbled backward like a rag doll, falling down the stairs. "No! Qin Cha!" she screamed in panic.
There was a heavy thud as her body hit the steps, rolling all the way down.
Everyone turned to look. Shen Mingyue lay at the bottom of the stairs, her face pale, blood running from her forehead and spreading under her.
Qin Cha's blood froze. When she looked up again, the way people were staring at her…
It was like they were looking at a jealous murderer.