Worm.
‘I’m OK,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘It’s only the first two months. I’m mentally prepared.’
‘Tan Yuan, you’re mentally prepared but I’m not,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Come downstairs, I made you breakfast. If anything makes you nauseous I’ll throw it away.’
Gu Jiao Wu helped Qiao Tan Yuan downstairs. At the dining table, Qiao Tan Yuan held one spoonful of congee to her mouth, and she put it down.
‘Jiao Wu, I can’t eat,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I want to sleep.’
‘I’ll take you upstairs to sleep but you need to at least eat a little congee,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘If you don’t eat, we’re not keeping the baby. I need you, I don’t need the baby.’
‘You don’t need our baby but I need our baby,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Then you should finish the bowl of congee,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘If you don’t eat, I don’t mind helping you eat.’
Qiao Tan Yuan slowly ate the bowl of congee.
Weeks later, Gu Jiao Wu decided it was best if he took care of Qiao Tan Yuan in their home, and for Gu Ting Ding to stay at the Gu Mansion with w.a.n.g Tu Da. He also loaded off Qiao Tan Yuan’s work to Qiao Jie, and he took Qiao Tan Yuan to work with him where she could sleep and eat in his office.
‘Big brother, this isn’t fair,’ Qiao Jie said. ‘Big sister worked when she was pregnant with Xiao Bao.’
‘I’ll find someone else to manage Qiao’s company while Tan Yuan is on maternity leave if you don’t think you’re capable,’ Gu Jiao Wu threatened.
Qiao Jie’s pride closed his mouth, and he accepted his fate.
When Qiao Tan Yuan was more than three months pregnant, she was eating in Gu Jiao Wu’s office and missing work.
‘Jiao Wu, I want to go back to work at Qiao’s company,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘No,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’m scared you’ll skip meals if I don’t see you eat myself.’
Qiao Tan Yuan was frustrated to see Gu Jiao Wu overworking while she slept and ate like a pig in his office.
‘Tan Yuan, be good and listen to me,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘When your morning sickness isn’t severe, and you can eat and drink like usual then you can go back to work.’
‘Jiao Wu, I promise I’ll eat and drink more if you let me go back to work,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘No,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘If you don’t let me go back to work, I’ll go on a hunger strike,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Tan Yuan, don’t be reckless,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Jiao Wu, I don’t want to watch you work while I turn into a pig,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Think of it as you’re on a holiday,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Jiao Wu, be reasonable,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I’m pregnant, not sick.’
‘Alright,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘You can go back to work. But you’re working here. I need your help.’
Gu Jiao Wu called his secretary to bring reports for Qiao Tan Yuan to review.
‘Jiao Wu…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Tan Yuan, this is my final offer,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’ll worry about you if you’re not with me.’
Qiao Tan Yuan accepted Gu Jiao Wu’s offer, to her working for him was better than turning into a pig.
Gu Jiao Wu regretted letting Qiao Tan Yuan help him with his work, because she was a diligent worker and he didn’t want her to over exert herself.
‘Jiao Wu, who is responsible for managing these investments?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘I summed up the raw data, but the reported profits are misappropriated between three to five percent for each investment. Someone’s stealing money from your company.’
Qiao Tan Yuan experienced the same obstacles at work when she began to manage Qiao’s company years ago. Her employees underestimated her, and they thought they could get away with embezzlement under her watch. She thought Gu Jiao Wu’s employees were foolish if they a.s.sumed Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t capable as w.a.n.g Tu Ya.
Gu Jiao Wu hugged Qiao Tan Yuan on the sofa, and he rubbed her round stomach.
‘Tan Yuan, don’t be angry,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘You’re pregnant, it’s not good for our baby if you’re angry.’
‘Jiao Wu…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Tan Yuan, you’re right,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I discovered which employees were secretly stealing money from my company months ago.’
‘Jiao Wu, why haven’t you fired them?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘I want to bait the big fish who is directing the little thieves,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘If the big fish believes it’s getting away with immaterial theft, it’ll take the bait and make a material mistake.’
‘Jiao Wu, if you knew about the misappropriations, why did you give me reports you’ve reviewed?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan thought Gu Jiao Wu trusted her work ethics and a.s.signed her proper work. She was angry he gave her reports he had reviewed.
Gu Jiao Wu regretted Qiao Tan Yuan cornered him.
‘Jiao Wu, you don’t trust me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Wife, you’ve accused me wrongly,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘If I didn’t trust you then I wouldn’t show you these reports.’
‘Jiao Wu, you’ve reviewed these reports and you knew what was happening behind your back,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Wife, look at how quickly you discovered the little thieves,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘My wife is impressive.’
‘Jiao Wu, you’re looking down on me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Wow, there is a beautiful worm in your mouth,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu kissed Qiao Tan Yuan’s lips, and he gently squeezed her rounder cheeks.
‘Tan Yuan, don’t be angry anymore,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘You know I don’t want you to over exert yourself.’
‘You tricked me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Tan Yuan, don’t be angry,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘There are many managers who have worked for my mum for years. Some of them believe they are more deserving of my position than me. Out of respect they were loyal to my mum and they contributed to the company for years, I didn’t fire them. But if they are stealing money behind my back then I’m not going to show them mercy.’
‘Jiao Wu, let me deal with them,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan hated employees who put their own self-interests ahead of their colleagues’ livelihoods.
‘Tan Yuan, do you really want to receive a hot potato?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Yes,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I believe I can handle a hot potato.’
‘Alright, I’ll give this hot potato to you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu understood he and Qiao Tan Yuan shared the same traits when it came to defeating their enemies. If a year ago someone told him that he would fall in love with a woman similar to him, he would tell them they were crazy. But he did love Qiao Tan Yuan, and he believed she would use suitable methods to defeat his enemies.
‘Jiao Wu, promise me you won’t interfere,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘I promise,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. He rubbed Qiao Tan Yuan’s stomach. ‘But you have to promise you won’t overwork yourself.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I’ll make sure these worms have nowhere to hide.’
‘I’m more worried about your health,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. He ma.s.saged Qiao Tan Yuan’s shoulders. ‘If you neglect your health then I won’t let you work.’
‘Yes Mr Nag,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan was happy to have Gu Jiao Wu take care of her while she was pregnant with their second child, but she thought he was being overprotective.
‘Who are you calling Mr Nag?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Who else but you?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu looked at Qiao Tan Yuan’s round stomach, and he remembered she was past the first trimester. His hands slid under her maternity dress.
‘Jiao Wu…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Tan Yuan, I gave you work, shouldn’t you give me a little reward?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘What?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu kissed Qiao Tan Yuan’s neck.
‘Tan Yuan, you’re more than three months pregnant,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Jiao Wu… we’re in your office,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu went to lock the door, and he returned to the sofa.
‘It adds a thrilling element,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Jiao Wu… you have to be careful… our baby…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Don’t worry,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’ll be careful.’
‘Jiao Wu…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan’s maternity dress quickly fell on the floor with Gu Jiao Wu’s clothes.
End of Chapter 155