First Marriage Then Love

----This chapter was translated by Joe----

Su Yi Cheng opens the door and enters exhausted, placing his doc.u.ment bag onto the sofa in the living room, he sits down leaning back against the sofa.

Leaning back, his head facing upwards, he seems to have had too much to drink tonight, that Techo City case has already been approved by the committee officially. And within these few days there will be a vote to select who will be in charge of this project. Actually in the official"s circle there is such a thing as fixed internal selection, elder Zhang has recently called him and asked him to prepare himself and be ready to finish up his existing work and be ready to take on the directive that will be handed down anytime now.

Seems the new has spread very fast, his business entertain has increased considerably, and although he wants to reject some of them he is unable to do so.

He drank a little too much tonight, although he is not drunk yet but his head is very giddy. He just reach home via a cab that secretary Zheng had helped hailed for him, his car remains in the city hall building.

The study door opens, An Ran sneezes and walks in with a gla.s.s in hand. She has been very busy the past 2 days on that "Activity Manor" design matter. Today being a weekend, she had sat in the study for the whole day and has at least completed a rough draft. Besides working on the design, she has also been worried about Lin Li"s matter. Thank heavens that when she visited her in the morning, she seems to have recover a lot from the day before. Although her face still does not have much laughter, but it does not feel as empty as before. Mother Lin told her that Lin Li is feeling much better these 2 days, although her appet.i.te has not returned yet but she has been trying her best to eat more. She knows she is trying her best to not let father Lin and herself worry. Even though this period has been trying, but she believes Lin Li will recover from it, back to that Lin Li that loves to laughs and is without worries.

Actually An Ran can see that Lin Li has not completely let go yet, sometimes she notices that her hand will unconsciously caresses her tummy as if searching for something, then as she continues touching, tears will flow. Then as if afraid of being seen, she will wipe off her tears secretly.

An Ran knows she is already trying her best. After all, it is not easy to simply let go of so many years of relationship. She needs more time, they all need more time.

Heading to the kitchen with blurry eyes, she was just pa.s.sing by the living room when she discovers Su Yi Cheng has already come home.

"Su Yi Cheng?" With gla.s.s in hand, she walks to the couch, placing the gla.s.s on the side table, looking at him with his eyes closed and head leaned back, smelling of smoke and liquor.

Hearing no response, An Ran steps forward, lighting patting him, lightly saying,"Su Yi Cheng?"

Su Yi Cheng did not open his eyes, but reach forward suddenly, pulling hard on An Ran onto his lap, his head buried in her shoulder, his hands wrapped around her waist.

An Ran paused for a while before she is able to react, patting him,"Su Yi Cheng, what happened? Are you drunk?"

Gradually frowning,"Didn"t I remind you not to drink so much, it"s for the good of your stomach."

Su Yi Cheng slowly raise his head, looking at her with half closed eyes and smiling,"I like you when we are outside together."

An Ran paused, not understanding, asked,"What was I like when we are out?" The only time they were out together in a formal setting was for the dinner and even when they were outside together she did not specially dolled up nor do anything special at all!

Su Yi Cheng agains buries his head into the hollow of her shoulders, saying gloomily,"You called me Yi Cheng when we are outside." He likes hearing her say his two word name, the tone soft, gentle and sounds especially pleasing.

After he says that, An Ran realises it seems to be true. When they were together outside, because of his special status, she has to display enough grace and fort.i.tude as his wife. She has always been afraid she would not be able to live up to the image so she has always been cautious when they were outside together. Of course in addition to being cautious she did not forget to play the part of a good official"s wife, so she would look at him in a gentle manner, and gently call his name.

But at home, even though he has been really good to her, but no matter how good he has been, perhaps it is due to the short time they had known each other, she still feels weird and not able to fully let go. So she has always been calling his full name at home.

"Do.... do you really mind it that much?" An Ran ask, uncertain.

Su Yi Cheng lets go of her, looking into her eyes steadily. It seems he must really fully communicate with her on the issue of how to address each other. Thinking of this, he asks seriously,"Do you feel, as a wife, it is normal to keep addressing her own husband in his full name each and every time?"

An Ran paused, then at last shakes her head. It does sounds weird when he puts it like that.

Su Yi Cheng nodded then smiles, happy that her negative reply fits into his plans, then asks,"So how will you address me from now on?"

An Ran thought for a moment, reply uncertainly,"Ah Cheng?" It seems everyone calls him that, the in-laws, grandfather, even Ye Zi Wen and Director Xiao does so.

Su Yi Cheng frowns, leans forward to kiss her lips lightly,"I prefer you to call me Yi Cheng."

An Ran smiles lightly, kissing him back, and as she was kissing him calling in a soft gentle tone,"Yi Cheng~."

It"s not sure if it is due to her soft gentle tone of voice that sounds so tempting and seductive, or if it is because of the effects of the liquor in his body, this kiss that was originally intended as a form of punishment heated up suddenly. Su Yi Cheng started to pull her harder towards him, as if he wishes her to be melded into him, the two of them blended into one.

An Ran did not think that the kiss will become so out of hand all of a sudden, the strength of his hug became more and more intense, his kisses become deeper and deeper. Although she wants to push him away but she suddenly feels herself not able to summon up any strength. She is somehow aware the two have changed from a seated position to a lying down one and his hands has already started probing from underneath her shirt, setting fire on her body and very soon, the clothes fell onto the floor and his kisses gradually starts to drifts downwards from her lips.

"wOoh~..." An Ran moans out, squeezing the last of her strength to push him aside a little,"You.. you haven"t.."

Su Yi Cheng"s hands on both sides of her head, eyes looking at her steadily, the burning furnace in his body seems to be immolating him, his forehead beaded with sweat and his hair seems slick and wet, his shirt unb.u.t.toned already, it seems as though the temperature of his entire being is heating up the temperature of the room.

"Are you sure you don"t want to?" Su Yi Cheng looks at her as he supports himself from her, his voice tight like a guitar string, hoa.r.s.e, low.

An Ran looks at him steadily, looking at him restraining himself for her and also saw herself within his eyes, unable to say anything to refuse him. She reach up caressing his face, softly saying,"In the room, can we go back in the room?" Unsure if it is due to the room"s temperature or him, she feels her face heated up as well and she feels it burning hot.

Su Yi Cheng gives a low smile, not speaking a word, hugs her up and kicks the bedroom door open, entering the bedroom.

An Ran now regrets it, and regreting it more and more, she regrets her moment of softheartedness that causes her entire body to ache as if her bones had been dismantled! An Ran lies on the bed, the sunlight shining outside the window, the light streams into the room, not forgetting to prompt her that it"s already quite late and the person at her side is already long gone by now, the bed cold.

Lying on the bed with her eyes open for a while, An Ran then tries to get up and the pain and aches on her body again reminding her of the craziness of last night. She again starts to scold Su Yi Cheng internally for the upteenth time, but envious of his vitality. The one who did all the work last night was him and if she did not remember wrongly, it was already past 1am when she fell asleep after being ravaged by him. But he still manage to get up for his morning exercise at 6am and even seems to have whispered something in her ear before leaving for work.

"Is morning exercise really that effective to build up body strength?" An Ran mumbled.

Dragging her tired body from bed, reaching for the clothes that Su Yi Cheng has already prepared for her, enters the washroom. She lets the water flow on her body, enjoying a soothing shower and by the time she got out and look at the alarm clock by the bed, it was already 11am. Holding and ma.s.saging her neck as she exits the bedroom, she realises she is a little hungry after last night and goes to the kitchen to look for food to fill her stomach. In the kitchen fridge she saw Su Yi Cheng"s note on the fridge door, "There"s sandwich in the fridge, heat it up before eating."

Her lips curls up in a smile and her heart grows warm and fuzzy because of small considerations like this.

In the afternoon An Ran bought some fruits and visited Lin Li. At the door, she saw Cheng Xiang who continued remaining there. He seems much more haggard after just a few days, the stubbles on his face were not managed, completely unlike his handsome self in the past. If Lin Li had saw Cheng Xiang like this in the past, maybe she would have never dove headfirst into the relationship and not able to venture out. She had always had a thing for handsome guys but who knew they would end up like this.

"Is Lin Li better now?" Before entering the room, Cheng Xiang asks her.

An Ran looks at him, unable to feel indifference towards him, they were all such good friends once, but now......

Plainly saying,"She"s better."

Cheng Xiang nodded, a bitter smile on his lips,"That"s good."

Giving him a glance, she advises,"You better go back, Lin Li will not see you." This time Lin Li has really given up, after experiencing such utter pain, she has let go completely. Cheng Xiang has really hurt her too deeply this time, leaving the wedding in front of so many people, and losing the baby because of him. Anyone else would not be able to endure even one of those, not to mention he had let her experience both of this at the same time. She has truly given up.

"I"ll just wait here, it"s fine if she doesn"t see me, I just want to know she"s alright." Looking at the ward, Cheng Xiang says simply,

"Why do this now after what you"ve done, the reason for the two of you being like this is all due to what you"ve done. You"ve taken Lin Li"s love for granted, you"ve never treasured the feelings she had for you." An Ran accuses with anger.

Cheng Xiang smiles bitterly, "I"ve never thought of leaving her."

"But look at what you"ve done instead." Seeing that woman again and again, even leaving and abandoning the wedding for that woman. What will anyone think about what his action meant, what will Lin Li think?

Cheng Xiang sits there, unable to reply a single word.

An Ran stood there for a while, then at last shakes her head and enters the ward.

Lin Li looks much better today compared to yesterday, seeing her, her lips curve with a hint of laughter, "Don"t you still have a design to finish, you don"t have to come over everyday."

"If you don"t want me to come over. then you better get out of the hospital sooner, don"t keep staying in the hospital, you"ll get mouldy." An Ran placed the fruits by the side, mother Lin had just exited the washroom, seeing An Ran, "An Ran you"re here." Then cordially pours a gla.s.s of water for An Ran. They do not know anyone here and Lin Li does not have many friends as well. An Ran has helped a lot for Lin Li"s hospitalization and everything else while they are in the city. "Come, have a drink first."

An Ran reach over for it, saying,"Mother Lin, you don"t have to treat me so formally."

Seated by the sofa at the side, An Ran asked mother Lin about Lin Li"s condition today, mother Lin informs An Ran that everything is fine with Lin Li and that she will be able to leave the hospital after 2 days. In addition, she also says that, once she leave the hospital, they plan to go back to their hometown. Lin Li does not have a job here in the city anyways and it"s easier for them to take care of her back home.

Hearing Lin Li will be going back, An Ran immediately turns over to look at Lin Li, asking, "You"re going back?" She had thought Lin Li will just needs some time to recuperate, but has never thought of her leaving Jiang City.

Lin Li looks at her simply, with a hint of a smile, nodding,"En."

"Lin Li, you...."

Lin Li cut her off, "I know what you want to say, but I"ve thought it over, my parents are no longer young and there"s no other brothers and sisters at home. If I remain in Jiang City and they at home, at such a distance, there would be no one around if something had happen to them. So I think it"s better that I go back. They had supported me for so many years, it"s time I accompany them."

"Lin Li, you may have a lot of unhappy experiences in Jiang City but there"s also a lot of happy experiences, can you really leave all that behind?" That reason about taking care of her parents is just an excuse, she only wants to run away and leave this place of hurt.

Lin Li shakes her head, "The happy memories are all related to him, I really don"t want to think of it anymore. It"s fine if you say I"m running away, or even if you say I do not dare to face up to it, there are some things I would rather forget in time."

An Ran remains silent, looking at her, speaking only after a while,"Have you really decided?"

Looking at her, Lin Li nodded, "En, it"s decided." This place has indeed had many wonderful and happy memories, but these memories are all related to that person, and he is also the one that has given the most painful of memories. Those painful memories, whenever they surface, brought her the most intense of agony. Staying in the city will bring her more agony than happiness. She has lived for someone else for 10 years now and no longer wants to do so, so she will be herself in future.

Knowing she has made up her mind, An Ran did not say anything else, only nodding and respecting her decision.

Perhaps leaving is really the best decision for her. If she wants to start afresh, then staying in a new place will also help her to have a new start. Perhaps she will not get to meet with Lin Li much in future, but if this is what"s the best for her, then how could she have protested?

An Ran accompanies Lin Li for a long while and finally left. When she left Cheng Xiang continued remaining on the plastic chair outside, only nodding towards her.

An Ran looks at him again, a little speechless and leaves unable to say anything.

Maybe it"s because she knows Lin Li will be leaving soon, An Ran feels gloomy inside, she wanders along the hospital"s corridors slowly, feeling a slight hint of depression within her heart.

The hospital"s main building blocks out the sunlight and this time at the hospital garden there are many visitors accompanying their family member patients walking around on the gra.s.s field, there"s also some who are chatting on the stone benches on the side.

An Ran pa.s.ses by and unwittingly had a look and saw a familiar little figure, a person alone seated by the stone bench at the side, hands holding a toy but his face looked grumpy.

An Ran went up and squatted in front of the child. This child is Zhou Han"s son, the same one that had gotten sick after eating the seafood noodles An Ran has given him. She then remembers that she had met Zhou Han 2* days ago in the store near the hospital and he did say his kid was staying in the hospital due to high fever. It"s such a coincidence to be able to meet him here.

"Hi, little friend, do you still remember auntie?" An Ran smiles and greets the child.

The child looks at her steadily, and took a while before recognising An Ran. He looked at her for a bit then lowers his head and continues staring at the toy in his hands.

An Ran sat down by his side, asking,"Why are you alone, where"s your father?"

Hearing this, the little child looks at her again, not speaking, then shaking his head, then continues staring at the toy in his hands.

An Ran faces a wall of resistance but she doesn"t mind, deciding to sit by his side while waiting for the one taking care of him.

A young nurse came over at this time, looking at the surroundings and seems not to be able to find what she wanted, and asks the child, "Zhou Qie Bin, did you call your father yet? When is he coming to take you from the hospital?"

The child raises his head and looks at the nurse, then shakes his head.

The nurse frowns, unsatisfied, mumbling,"How is there such an unresponsible parent? The child has already been well for a few days now and not only has he not come for a single visit but now there"s no one to do the outpatient procedure. How can there be a parent like this?"

An Ran listens and finally comprehends the situation, she looks at the child, then hurriedly stood up and asks the nurse,"Nurse, what did you say happen, the child"s father did not come for a visit even once?"

The nurse takes a look at her, asking,"You are?"

"Ah, I know the child"s father." An Ran explained.

The nurse then nodded, "Since you are a friend of the child"s parent, then could you please help to contact him? He hasn"t been seen for the last few days and even just left the child in the hospital alone with a high fever. The child has long since recovered from the fever and he is alright for now. Please get him to come do the outpatient process, it"s not good to occupy a beds.p.a.ce like this, what"s more, there are more bacteria and such on the hospital grounds so it"s really not very good to let the child stay here for long." After saying this, she turns and heads back.

An Ran was a little taken aback, she remembers seeing Zhou Han 3* days ago, has he really not been to the hospital for the last 3* days, has he forgotten his son is staying in the hospital?

An Ran looks at the child, only to see him lowering his head, she asks,"Your father has not been here for the last few days? No one was here by your side?"

The child may be slightly introverted, he did not say anything, only silently nodding.

An Ran only feels that this person is too irresponsible, how can he just leave his own child in the hospital for days without showing any concern, it"s too much! She was just thinking to ask the child for Zhou Han"s number when she thought of the necklace incident, he had already given her his number!

Taking out her phone and searching for the call history, she calls him back on that number, the phone rang for a while before finally answered by someone. The Zhou Han on the other side of the line sounds surprise at her call, they are not well acquainted after all and does not seem to have a reason to call each other.

"h.e.l.lo?"

"Mr Zhou Han? Have you forgetten you still have a son staying in the hospital? I"m by his side right now and the nurse had just came over asking when are you coming to take him from the hospital? The child"s high fever has already subsided but has continued to stay in the hospital, if he continues to do so he may be infected by other viruses in the hospital."

Zhou Han on the other side paused for a while, then only says,"The company suddenly has issues so I had to leave first and I was out of town the past few days." Because he was out of town he did not come for a visit and did not know of the child"s condition.

"Then can"t you arrange for someone else to take care of the child?" Even if he does not have the time to come, then should he not then arrange for someone else to come take care of the child? What"s more the child is still so young, how can he let him stay in the hospital alone? Hearing this, Zhou Han remains silent for a bit before finally saying, "Can you pa.s.s the phone to the child for a while?"

An Ran looks at the child, nodding then hands the phone to the child besides her,"Your father wants to speak to you."

The child pause and looks at her for a bit and finally takes the phone from her, places it on his ears and lightly addresses,"Daddy."

An Ran did not know what they talk about, only seeing the child with the phone answering a few yes and no, after a while then hands the phone back to An Ran.

An Ran takes over the phone, "h.e.l.lo?"

"Can I trouble you to accompany the child for a while? I"ve arrange for someone to fetch the child from the hospital. Later I"ll get the person to give you a call." Zhou Han on the line told her.

With this, An Ran can only accept, hanging up the phone and continues accompanying the child for a while. Less than half an hour later the phone rang again. It"s an unknown number so An Ran knows it should be the person Zhou Han had arrange to come over. Answering the phone, it"s a male"s voice, asking her directly for their location, saying he is already at the hospital entrance and will get there shortly.

An Ran feels that the voice seems familiar to her but did not think much on it, only saying she and the child are in the gardens beside the hospital"s main building.

The person acknowledges and hangs up the line. After another few minutes, An Ran was just caressing the child"s head when suddenly someone shouted out her name from behind, she turned and saw Ye Zi Wen looking at her incredulously.

"Gu An Ran?!" Ye Zi Wen was surprise that the person beside Zhou Han"s son was actually Gu An Ran! He was just having a meeting at the company when he receive Zhou Han"s call, asking him to fetch his son from the hospital as he was out of town at the moment and was not able to do so. He hoped he would be able to help take care of his son for the next 2 days. He agrees immediately, delayed the meeting and rushed over to 1st City Hospital immediately. But he had not expected the contact that Zhou Han spoke about was actually Gu An Ran!

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*2/3 - It"s not an error, it was written as such. So let"s take it as 2 or 3 days then.

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