Chapter 5

I asked who she was.

She said she was about to become Fu Liu’s ex-girlfriend, and was also his boss’s only daughter. She had received what I sent and wanted to meet me.

She said she was already pregnant. The Fu Liu she knew wasn’t like this. Even if it killed her, she wanted to know the truth.

I understood that feeling all too well. I checked the time. She said she was near the station. There would be time.

So I went to meet her.

She looked very wealthy, dressed in luxurious clothes. Her rather ill-suited light makeup couldn’t hide the dark circles beneath her eyes. She was fairly good-looking, but no more than that. The moment she saw me, she waved me over.

At that cramped, dimly lit roadside stall, I told her everything I knew.

She kept her head down, stirring the water in her glass. She listened to the end, then sighed softly.

“It’s all fate,” she said. “To be honest, I feel very sorry for you. But I have my difficulties too.” She kept murmuring, her voice growing quieter.

I narrowed my eyes. Her figure was becoming more and more blurred. I knew at once that something was wrong. I tried to stand, but had no strength. Behind her, I saw Fu Liu step out. My heart jolted violently. Then I fainted.

I lost consciousness, but not completely.

I had never imagined Fu Liu would take my life this way.

And my baby’s with it. That tiny thing, only five months old.

When I woke again, I had become something like my own child.

Only six or seven months along. Able to turn over, reach out, hear sounds. Sleeping inside that rich beauty’s womb.

Fu Liu had successfully secured his place and married her.

If nothing went wrong, once I survived the pregnancy, that bastard would lift me tenderly into his arms and say, “Look at this little darling. Daddy’s sweetheart from a past life.”

From the day I woke, I began tormenting the woman who had conspired with him.

Hatred filled me. Whenever I had the strength, I kept rolling over.

My antics made it hard for her to sleep.

And if she couldn’t sleep, neither could Fu Liu.

Fu Liu laid a hand over the belly surrounding me. I faintly heard him comforting her. “So naughty. Maybe it’s a boy. If the public hospital won’t check, that private one is quite good.”

She slapped his hand. Her voice was muffled. “What? You prefer boys?”

“No, no. I’ll love any baby my wife gives me.” Fu Liu knew exactly what to say. “I’m sure it’s a little princess as beautiful as you. She’ll be adorable, sweet, and obedient.”

What a shame I couldn’t laugh aloud.

I squirmed and twisted so much in the womb that I managed to wind the umbilical cord around my neck.

The hospital was full of excitement on the day I was born.

My mother had a cesarean. When they lifted me out, the cold and open space caught me unprepared. Everything before my eyes was blurred. A newborn’s vision was terrible; I could see only a tiny distance in front of me. I strained to look around and tried to speak, but my throat was as soft as my lips. I couldn’t make a sound.

I heard the doctor give orders to stitch the mother up. Beside me, a midwife held my little feet, ready to smack me. I gathered what strength I could and tried to cry as loudly as possible.

“What a sensible baby.”