Chapter 502: Chapter 502

She had asked this question not just once, and although the answer was the same every time, Song Qiao still couldn’t help but ask it again.

However, each time, Lu Jingchen’s expression would only darken further, naturally, he would not agree.

Lu Jingchen did not immediately answer Song Qiao’s question. He took strides toward her, his gaze quietly fixed on her, the emotions in his eyes murky and unclear.

She didn’t know if it was her illusion, but Song Qiao felt that the man in front of her harbored an indescribable and unclear emotion in his eyes, as if he had suddenly made some decision.

For a moment, Song Qiao felt a wave of panic spread from the bottom of her heart throughout her body, giving her the urge to flee the battlefield. Even being looked at in such a way by the man made her feel uneasy, and she couldn’t help but want to look away to avoid his gaze.

Lu Jingchen walked up to Song Qiao, his dress shoes almost no distance away from her slippers. His deep eyes steadily watched her, and finally, he spoke, "I can agree to divorce you."

Song Qiao had been slightly retreating, but upon hearing his words, her eyes brightened and she stared at him fixedly. After thinking a bit, though, something seemed off. Given Lu Jingchen’s personality, it was impossible for him to simply agree to a divorce. Song Qiao was certain that Lu Jingchen hadn’t finished speaking.

Sure enough, the man seemed visibly annoyed by her reaction, but he still managed to suppress the rage in his heart, leaned in slightly, and bracing his hands on the couch behind her, suddenly caged her within his arms.

His deep voice then followed, "If you want a divorce, I can agree, but on one condition."

Upon hearing his words, Song Qiao’s heart skipped a beat, as if an invisible hand had reached directly into her chest and seized her heart. Her hand by her side unconsciously clenched, sweat inexplicably forming in her palm. Her bright eyes met his dark, profound ones, and she instinctively asked, "What condition?"

Lu Jingchen looked at the small face before him, his thin lips parting slightly as he said, "Have a child for me, then I’ll agree to the divorce."

Song Qiao felt as if her brain had suddenly exploded, blinking rapidly, her face turning a shade paler. She hadn’t expected this requirement, or could it be that he had already figured something out?

That she was pregnant.

But looking at his indifferent face, she suddenly felt it was impossible. Only she and Chu Munan knew about her pregnancy, along with neither her grandfather nor Song Xi being aware.

Song Qiao averted her gaze from his, her lips twitched, and after a moment of silence, she finally said, "Actually, after we divorce, you can marry another woman and have someone else bear your child. It doesn’t have to be me."

"But what can I do, I only want you to bear my child!" However, as soon as she finished speaking, Lu Jingchen had already directly responded to her statement.

Song Qiao involuntarily clutched at the corner of her dress, looked up at him briefly, but soon guiltily lowered her head to avoid his gaze, struggling to suppress the panic inside her heart, and continued, "Give me some time to think about this, and I’ll give you my answer after I’ve thought it through."

Lu Jingchen deeply looked at her once more, then straightened his posture, though he didn’t continue to press her and simply accepted, "Alright, I’ll give you time to think about it."

As long as she wasn’t pushing for a divorce anymore, there was naturally plenty of time, and the child was simply a means to keep her in check.

He had heard that it wasn’t easy for women to birth a child after carrying it for ten months; often starting with not wanting the child, but upon birth, they become extremely reluctant to part with it. Perhaps if Song Qiao had a child, due to the child’s presence, she might not want a divorce anymore?

With this thought, Lu Jingchen’s mood significantly improved.

His nose filled with the fresh scent from her body, he knew it was the fragrance of her often-used body wash, persistent enough to still be detectable, making him unable to resist lowering his head and kissing her forehead, he continued, "Let me know once you’ve decided. During this period, I won’t force you, but you must move back to the villa and live with me. I can promise that I won’t touch you until you’ve made up your mind."

Although holding her in his arms at night might lead him to lose control occasionally, he believed in his own endurance. At worst, he could take a few more cold showers or use his own hands for relief.

Hearing Lu Jingchen’s words, Song Qiao actually felt this wasn’t a difficult request and finally nodded, "Okay."

The conversation they just had made Song Qiao truly feel that moving back to the villa wouldn’t be a loss. As for her grandfather, she could also visit and have meals with the old man whenever she wasn’t working or was free.

Hearing how quickly Song Qiao responded, Lu Jingchen knew that his words had made an impact. However, even though she agreed to move back in with him, he still felt uneasy because it was only after he spoke those words that she agreed.

But... now he had no room for regret. The only thing he could do now was to keep her by his side for the time being.

However, before they had a chance to properly resolve their relationship, Murong Rui’s interference left Song Qiao with no choice but to leave An City. She didn’t even discuss the divorce with Lu Jingchen personally.

By the time Lu Jingchen fully realized what had happened, Song Qiao was already gone, and he had lost all contact with her.

After moving back to the villa, indeed, Lu Jingchen did as he had said before. Although they slept in the same bed every night, he did not touch her.

The two of them managed to get through a week without any trouble, but on Saturday morning, when Song Qiao woke up, she found that Lu Jingchen, who usually was still beside her asleep, was not in the bedroom. She glanced at the bedside clock; it was only seven in the morning, but the spot beside her was already cold.

Stretching her hand through her hair, the signs of her morning sickness had lessened in the last two days, but she was still prone to sleepiness. Last night, she went to bed just after eight, woke up at midnight to drink water, found Lu Jingchen showering in the bathroom, figured that was when he came back, and didn’t think much of it before going back to sleep.

As the president of CK Group, Lu Jingchen frequently had social obligations. However, when their relationship was better, he often canceled those engagements. Recently, he probably didn’t want to face her, so he started attending those events more often, coming home late at night, and inevitably waking up later than her. Sometimes, she had finished washing up, had breakfast with the maid, and still had to go up and wake him.

Sitting on the bed for a while, she still felt a little reluctant to move. Sitting there and then silently lying on the blanket again.

Because of her pregnancy, Song Qiao had handed over her sister, Song Xi, to another agent whom she trusted. This agent had a previously good relationship with her and was capable. Song Xi also knew that things were not going well between her and Lu Jingchen, so she was very understanding and let her rest well.

"Madam, are you awake?" Just as she was about to drift off again, she heard the maid’s voice at the door.

Since Chen’s mother had to deal with issues back at her hometown, the maid had come to wake her instead.

Song Qiao still felt a little groggy and responded, "Awake, what’s the matter?"

Normally, the maid wouldn’t come upstairs to disturb her, but today, she had, likely because there was an issue.

Upon hearing Song Qiao’s voice, the maid immediately said, "Madam, Miss Murong is here and wants to see sir, but the master has already left early this morning... Miss Murong said she wants to see you."

Upon hearing the maid’s words, Song Qiao immediately woke up. The so-called Miss Murong couldn’t be anyone other than Murong Rui.

She sat up straight, could not help twisting her pretty brows, and began to wonder, Murong Rui coming to see Lu Jingchen wasn’t surprising, but wanting to see her was indeed strange.

Stretching her hand through her hair again, Song Qiao thought for a moment and then said to the maid at the door, "Go downstairs first, I’ll come down once I’m ready."

The maid immediately replied and then her footsteps receded into the distance.

After the maid left, Song Qiao sat on the bed for a few minutes before slowly getting up, walked barefoot on the carpet towards the bathroom while still yawning intermittently, feeling as if she hadn’t slept enough.

Looking down at her belly, knowing that a little life was slowly growing inside, her previously gloomy mood instantly brightened. She couldn’t help but place her hand on her stomach, even though she couldn’t yet feel the presence of the little life inside.

Knowing she was pregnant, Song Qiao immediately stopped using her skincare and makeup products, only opting for a newly bought face wash suitable for pregnant women.

She brushed her teeth, washed her face, tied up her hair, then walked out of the bathroom, took her cellphone from the bedside table, and walked out of the bedroom.

In the living room on the first floor, Murong Rui sat on the couch with an increasingly ugly expression. She had been sitting there for so long, and that woman Song Qiao still hadn’t come down?