Thugs

After sawing trees all night, even her excellent stamina was wearing thin. She just wanted to hurry home and sleep.

She did not want trouble, but someone just had to go out of his way to provoke her.

As she passed a residential building, a tall, thin man suddenly ran out ahead of her and hurled a brick from his hand at her windshield.

Jiang Ci was forced to swerve to avoid the brick flying toward her head.

She was exhausted and sleepy, the sun was about to rise, and some scumbag actually dared to stop her car with a brick. She was furious.

She parked by the roadside, pulled a stun baton from her space, and got out with a dark air about her.

When the man who had thrown the brick saw her stop, he whistled toward the residential building.

More than a dozen people immediately ran out. None looked very old; they were all young men in their twenties.

The dozen or so men charged toward Jiang Ci with knives or clubs in their hands, moving to surround her.

Once they got closer and saw that the driver was actually a very pretty young woman, they immediately relaxed. A few even wolf-whistled at Jiang Ci.

"Hey, gorgeous, why are you out alone? Anyone else in the car? Tell them all to come out."

Jiang Ci did a few stretches to loosen her limbs, then rolled her neck.

"You'll know once I've beaten you all into the ground."

"Hey, she's a feisty one, boys..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Ci sprinted forward and launched a flying kick at the man nearest her, sending him crashing into another man behind him.

The sudden kick sent both men sprawling. Jiang Ci switched her stun baton to its highest setting and struck each of them once, shocking them unconscious.

Then she spun and kicked away a knife slashing toward her from behind, swung her stun baton over, and shocked another man unconscious.

The whole group had nothing but flashy moves. The remaining eight or nine were frightened by Jiang Ci's fighting prowess and hesitated to approach.

The eight or nine men huddled together, exchanged looks, and lunged at Jiang Ci in unison.

Jiang Ci suddenly tossed a smoke grenade at them. The unexpected smoke left them coughing and disoriented.

Holding her stun baton, Jiang Ci stood at the edge of the smoke, shocking one man and kicking another. Before long, all of them lay unconscious on the ground.

Still not satisfied, she gave each of them two more kicks, then hurried away in her car without lingering.

Luckily, Si Beichen's beloved car was unharmed. Not wanting her family to worry, Jiang Ci did not mention the thugs who had blocked her way when she got home.

Dad Si and Mom Wen felt that she had grown up and had a mind of her own, so they did not ask what she had been doing all night. It was enough that she had returned safely.

Jiang Ci went into her space to shower, ate two steamed buns, drank a glass of soy milk, and went to bed.

On the fifteenth floor, Zhou Junming and Zhao Yunqiu had gone a little wild the night before and consequently overslept. He had only just come out of Zhao Yunqiu's home.

Hu Cuihua thought her son Zhou Junming had gone to Wang Xiaohui's place, so she neither suspected anything nor asked.

Instead, she asked Zhou Junming with a secretive look, "Shouldn't there be some news from Xiaohui's belly by now?"

Zhou Junming guiltily looked away and said awkwardly, "Soon, probably."

He had spent more of his time at Zhao Yunqiu's place lately and had not slept with Wang Xiaohui in ages. How would he know whether there was any news from her belly?

Even if someone was pregnant, it ought to be Zhao Yunqiu. Unfortunately, Yunqiu feared that others would discover their relationship and put him in a difficult position, so she was unwilling to get pregnant.

But he had to give his mother an answer, too. After all, Wang Xiaohui was his legitimate fiancée now.

It looked like he would have to visit Wang Xiaohui more often for a while. Anyway, she was so easy to fool; she believed everything he said without question.

As long as he put in a little effort to get Wang Xiaohui pregnant as soon as possible, then talked her into staying home to rest during her pregnancy, he could reassure both his mother and Wang Xiaohui while freeing up more time to spend with Yunqiu.

He was simply too clever. Even a master of time management could do no better.

That evening, after Hu Cuihua left for work again, Zhou Junming secretly packed a small bag of grain and went to Zhao Yunqiu's home.

"Yunqiu, take this grain for now. Tell me if it's not enough, and I'll bring you more."

After putting the grain away, Zhao Yunqiu nestled into Zhou Junming's arms, deeply touched.

Zhou Junming thoroughly enjoyed the way Zhao Yunqiu leaned on him like a little bird.

He said dotingly, "Be good and rest at home. I can't stay with you tonight. My mother keeps watching Wang Xiaohui's belly all day. She's gone crazy wanting a grandson. I've thought it over, and I might as well get Wang Xiaohui pregnant soon. That way, I'll have more time to spend with you."

Zhao Yunqiu pouted and whined unhappily in Zhou Junming's arms, looking jealous and reluctant to let him go.

Zhou Junming lifted her onto his lap and kept kissing those tempting little lips.

With a sorrowful face, Zhao Yunqiu sobbed, "It's all because I'm a widow. I can't be with you openly because I'm afraid people will gossip about you, and I can't give you a child, either."

Zhou Junming's heart ached terribly. He kissed her as he comforted her. "Let Wang Xiaohui have one for us. You won't have to suffer through it, and we'll have more time to enjoy being alone together. Won't that be even happier?"

Only then did Zhao Yunqiu smile through her tears. She lifted her face with a look of happiness and sought his kisses.

The two spent quite a while longer wrapped up in each other before Zhao Yunqiu reluctantly let Zhou Junming leave.

As soon as the man left, Zhao Yunqiu gave a disdainful snort, then swayed her hips and hummed a tune as she went into her room to sleep.

Zhou Junming went home to tidy himself up, making sure nothing would give him away, then went downstairs to Wang Xiaohui's home.

It had been a while since he had slept with Wang Xiaohui. She was unusually passionate and uninhibited tonight, and Zhou Junming was very satisfied.

Besides, he had a task to accomplish tonight, so he put in extra effort.

That night was probably the most harmonious one they had spent together since their relationship began.

After making love, Wang Xiaohui and Zhou Junming lay on their sides in bed, chatting face-to-face.

"Junming, I missed you so much. You're amazing."

Under the covers, Zhou Junming rested his hand on Wang Xiaohui's belly and stroked it, saying gently:

"Xiaohui, let's have a baby."

Wang Xiaohui hesitated. Having a baby under these circumstances was clearly not a wise choice.

She paused for three seconds, then asked Zhou Junming, "Do you like children?"

"As long as it's yours, I'll love it."

Perhaps sensing Wang Xiaohui's hesitation, Zhou Junming took a step back to move forward:

"It's fine. If you don't want one, we won't have one. Although I really want a little one who's the fruit of our love, you matter more."

Wang Xiaohui was moved by Zhou Junming's gentleness and consideration. Hearing him say that he wanted a child who was the fruit of their love touched her beyond words.

But she still retained a shred of reason, so she gave a noncommittal answer. "Junming, give me some time to think about it."

Zhou Junming was a little unhappy. This woman claimed to love him, yet she even needed to think about having his child. It seemed her love for him only amounted to so much.

Yunqiu was better after all. If Wang Xiaohui had not intruded as the other woman, his Yunqiu would have had his child long ago. Wang Xiaohui would never have had a turn.

Still, this was good, too. It spared his Yunqiu the suffering.

The ordeal of childbirth should fall to this woman, Wang Xiaohui.

Once he had thought it through, his expression grew even gentler and more indulgent.

He needed to spend more time on this woman for a while and patiently coax Wang Xiaohui into getting pregnant with his child soon.

This woman usually looked so refined, but she was actually quite wild deep down.

He simply had not put his mind to it before. As long as he wanted it, with his abilities, she would have this baby whether she wanted it or not!