ACMS 49

Chapter 49 – Decision

Qiao Le gave the police station’s address to Shen Hechuan. Shen Hechuan said, “I’ll be right there.”

After hanging up, Zhou Xiaoyun asked, “Is Mr. Shen coming over?”

“Yeah,” Qiao Le said. “He’s worried and wants to check on me.”

“I’m so sorry, Lele.” Zhou Xiaoyun apologized. “You were just trying to help me, and you ended up getting dragged into this mess.”

“It’s okay, Sister Xiaoyun,” Qiao Le comforted her.

Zhou Xiaoyun had just come out of surgery. Qiao Le urged her to go home and rest, but Zhou Xiaoyun felt responsible for everything and was worried Yang Jian might try to extort Qiao Le. She insisted on waiting for Shen Hechuan to arrive.

Yang Jian stood off to the side, watching them talk, and muttered mockingly, “Disgusting couple.”

Qiao Le ignored him. Zhou Xiaoyun wanted to argue back, but Qiao Le patted her arm, signaling her not to waste her breath on someone like him.

Shen Hechuan arrived quickly, accompanied by a man in a black suit. He pushed open the glass door of the duty room, brushed past everyone else, and walked straight toward Qiao Le, who was sitting in a chair.

When Qiao Le saw him, he stood up. “You’re here.”

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Shen Hechuan asked anxiously, checking him up and down. “Did you get injured? Does anything hurt?”

Before Qiao Le could respond, Yang Jian cut in, “What the hell? He hit me! I’m the one who’s hurt. Are you blind or—”

Shen Hechuan turned his head and gave him a cold, piercing glance. “Did I ask you?”

Yang Jian shrank back under the weight of that icy gaze, his next words stuck in his throat. He backed down.

Ignoring him, Shen Hechuan continued to ask Qiao Le. Qiao Le shook his head and pointed at Yang Jian. “I’m not hurt, but I was scared. He kept threatening to hit me earlier.”

Yang Jian: “……”

Who the hell was the one rolling up his sleeves and saying he’d make me stay in the hospital for days, huh?!!

Once he confirmed Qiao Le was really fine, Shen Hechuan finally relaxed a little.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Mr. Shen, this is all my fault—”

Zhou Xiaoyun tried to explain, but Qiao Le stopped her and gave Shen Hechuan a simple rundown of what had happened.

Yang Jian had assumed Qiao Le was just some small-time server who occasionally drank with clients. He didn’t expect him to have backup. Shen Hechuan’s expensive suit and powerful aura made it clear he wasn’t an ordinary person. Yang Jian immediately began scheming for a payout.

“I don’t care who you are. The fact is, you hit me. Everyone here saw it.” He straightened his back. “You’re not getting away with this unless I get compensation.”

Zhou Xiaoyun had had enough. She pointed at him and said, “You want money? Fine, I’ll pay you. But you have to return all the money you took from me before. After that, we’re done. For good.”

Yang Jian jumped to his feet. “Zhou Xiaoyun! Are you out of your mind? Do you even know who your man is anymore? You’re ganging up on me with someone else now?”

The officers, having listened long enough, cut in to stop the growing argument. “That’s enough! What’s with all the shouting? Settle this and go home!”

“Yeah, let’s settle it. I want my money.” Yang Jian held up two fingers. “One hundred thousand. Not a cent less, or I’ll sue.”

“Talk to my lawyer,” Shen Hechuan said, shielding Qiao Le behind him. He turned to the silent man in the suit and said, “Lawyer Zhou.”

The man stepped forward with a smile. “Leave it to me. I can’t stand men who hit women.”

Yang Jian flared up again, redirecting the anger he’d just suppressed from Shen Hechuan’s glare. “And who the hell are you? What the hell business is this of yours?”

The man replied politely, “Hello. I’m Zhou Mingze from Dingyang Law Firm, and I’m Mr. Qiao’s lawyer.”

Dingyang was the top law firm in Yunjing City.

That name silenced the entire room. Even someone as ignorant as Yang Jian had heard of them.

A minor scuffle, and they had brought in a Dingyang lawyer.

With Zhou Mingze handling things, the matter was quickly resolved.

Yang Jian was initially dissatisfied with the settlement offer, but he didn’t want to go through the process of a medical evaluation. He clearly knew his injuries didn’t warrant the compensation he wanted. After weighing his options, he took the money and left.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Yang Jian never once asked about Zhou Xiaoyun’s condition. That alone made her give up on him completely.

When they left the station, Zhou Mingze said to Zhou Xiaoyun, “Miss Zhou, I overheard earlier that your boyfriend still owes you money. If you need help, I’d be happy to assist.”

Zhou Xiaoyun had heard of Dingyang and of Zhou Mingze himself—he was one of their star lawyers. And he was offering to help her?

“Really?” she asked, wide-eyed.

“Of course,” Zhou Mingze replied.

Zhou Xiaoyun was tempted, but as she looked at him, she hesitated. “But… I can’t afford your fees—”

Top lawyers at the #1 firm charged by the minute.

At that moment, Shen Hechuan spoke up. “I’ll cover all the expenses. Don’t worry.”

Qiao Le glanced at Shen Hechuan, and the man gave him a small nod. Encouraged, Qiao Le said to Zhou Xiaoyun, “Sister Xiaoyun, you deserve a better life. Don’t let someone unworthy ruin it for you.”

Zhou Xiaoyun thought about all she had given over the years, the child she lost that day in the hospital, and the cold, mocking attitude from Yang Jian’s parents. Her mind was made up. “Okay!”

She exchanged numbers with Zhou Mingze, who then turned to Shen Hechuan and said, “If there’s nothing else, President Shen, I’ll take my leave.”

Shen Hechuan: “Alright.”

Zhou Xiaoyun thanked them repeatedly, then went back to her apartment.

Shen Hechuan didn’t let Qiao Le drive himself. He called the driver to come retrieve the car and stayed with Qiao Le instead.

Once they got into the car, Shen Hechuan immediately said, “Don’t act so impulsively next time. You’re not alone anymore. I was really worried.”

On the way over, he’d been so scared that his heart felt like it was stuck in his throat. He didn’t even want to imagine what he’d do if something happened to Qiao Le.

“I know.” Qiao Le rubbed his nose awkwardly. “Sister Xiaoyuntook good care of me in the past. I just couldn’t hold back when I saw Yang Jian hitting her.”

He noticed Shen Hechuan’s face was still tense and quickly added, “Don’t worry. The babies are fine. Everything’s stable.”

Shen Hechuan’s expression finally softened. At a red light, he turned to glance at him. “You really don’t want to go to the hospital for a check-up?”

“No need.” Qiao Le shook his head. He really felt fine, and the babies were still small—his movements weren’t restricted yet.

“Oh right, was there something urgent when you called me earlier?” he asked.

Shen Hechuan said, “David and the others wanted to have lunch with us.”

“Oh.” Qiao Le glanced at his phone. It was almost one. He had class in the afternoon and definitely didn’t have time. “What do we do, then?”

“Next time.” Shen Hechuan said. “Aren’t you meeting Fang Jiaxu this afternoon?”

“Yeah.” Qiao Le rubbed his belly. “I’m a little hungry.”

“Let’s get something to eat first.”

“Okay.”

After lunch, Shen Hechuan dropped him off at school and went back to the office.

Classes ended early that afternoon. Qiao Le was supposed to attend a badminton club activity, but considering his condition, he decided to skip it and took a leave of absence.

Chen Hao, who was also in the club, texted him out of concern when he heard.

Qiao Le replied that he had something to take care of at home, then hailed a cab to meet Fang Jiaxu.

They went to a restaurant and booked a private room to talk more easily.

When Fang Jiaxu heard the results of the follow-up exam, he was stunned. “Oh my god! Twins?!”

He stood up from his chair, walked around to the other side of the table, and leaned over to look at Qiao Le’s belly. “Holy shit, that’s amazing—twins?! Are they boys or girls? Could they be a boy and a girl?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask the doctor.” Qiao Le pushed his face away with one hand. “What can you even see? They’re not even as big as my fist yet.”

Fang Jiaxu rubbed his hands together, his voice full of excitement. “If they’re a boy and a girl, that means you’ve got the perfect set!”

“Yeah, exactly,” Qiao Le replied offhandedly.

The moment the words left his mouth, the two of them froze. They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.

They’d forgotten—he wasn’t planning to keep the babies.

“Ahem—” Fang Jiaxu cleared his throat and sat back down. “You said the doctor doesn’t recommend abortion. So what now? If you can’t terminate, are you really going to have them?”

Qiao Le took a sip of his soup and set down his bowl. “If you put it like that, I really don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Fang Jiaxu asked.

“Mm.” Qiao Le thought for a moment. “If I had the choice, I definitely wouldn’t want to have them. The best outcome would be finding a suitable option for abortion.”

“And if there isn’t one?”

And there it was again—the same question.

“If there isn’t, then it seems like giving birth is the only choice.” Qiao Le let out a dramatic sigh. “Then I guess I’ll just have to become a dad with the perfect set of kids.”

“…You’re pretty optimistic.”

“Because there’s no point in being pessimistic.” Qiao Le grinned. “When reality can’t be changed, you change yourself. It’s just two more kids. It’s not like I can’t afford to raise them now.”

Ever since coming back from the hospital yesterday, he’d been thinking a lot.

Back when his father committed suicide, he’d had to pay off debts and raise Xiao Man. He’d gotten through that kind of hardship by gritting his teeth. Now it was just two more kids—and Shen Hechuan was with him. It really wasn’t that scary.

He’d wait for the hospital’s final evaluation before making the call.

“True.” Fang Jiaxu ladled more soup into his bowl. “Don’t worry. We’ll all help you.”

Qiao Le joked, “Help how? Gonna give birth for me?”

“Can’t do that.” Fang Jiaxu waved his hand. “But we can help raise them. Strength in numbers, right? Your aunt and uncle will definitely be thrilled!”

Strength in numbers.

Well, Fang Jiaxu’s way of comforting people was definitely… unique.

But it worked. Qiao Le couldn’t help but laugh.

Yeah, what’s there to be afraid of?

He had so many people around him now who cared for and supported him.

Qiao Le lowered his head and smiled.

—

The results from the hospital consultation came back two days later, just as Liang Jiayu had said—they did not recommend abortion.

Liang Jiayu explained the specialists’ opinion in detail, emphasizing the high surgical risk. Any mishap could lead to all three lives being lost.

When Qiao Le heard the results, he wasn’t surprised—he’d already had a feeling it would turn out this way.

Maybe he’d been mentally prepared. He didn’t feel too disappointed.

Instead… there was a strange sense of peace. Like everything had finally settled.

Walking out of the OB-GYN department, Qiao Le was still preoccupied with the long list of precautions Liang Jiayu had given him.

Shen Hechuan noticed his dazed expression and, thinking he was worried about not being able to terminate the pregnancy, gently took his hand and said, “There may be no precedent for this in China, but overseas there might be. Don’t worry, I’ll have people look into it. We’ll find a solution.”

“Hmm?” Qiao Le snapped out of it. “What did you say?”

“I said I’ll have people keep looking for doctors who can do the procedure. As long as there’s the slightest chance—”

“No.”

Qiao Le cut him off. “Let’s have them.”

“…What?”

“I said let’s have them.” Qiao Le smiled at him. “Shen Hechuan, let’s have the babies.”

Shen Hechuan’s mind went blank. It was like the moment he first found out Qiao Le was pregnant all over again.

He stared at Qiao Le, unable to speak, as if he’d lost the ability to form words.

“What are you spacing out for?” Qiao Le waved a hand in front of his face. “You don’t want them or what—?”

His sentence was cut short by Shen Hechuan’s sudden hug.

Shen Hechuan’s hands were trembling slightly as he held him tight. “I want them.”

Qiao Le rested his chin on Shen Hechuan’s shoulder, patted him on the back, and teased, “Why are you so emotional? You’re not gonna cry, are you? Alright, alright, you can lean on my shoulder if you need to.”

Shen Hechuan didn’t answer, but his arms tightened a little more.

After the initial wave of overwhelming joy, Shen Hechuan’s brain finally started working again. He asked how Qiao Le planned to handle school.

“Of course I’m going to keep studying,” Qiao Le answered without hesitation. “I worked so hard to get back in—I’m not taking another break just because of this. I’m not giving up.”

Shen Hechuan understood and supported him, but he couldn’t help but worry. Pregnancy wouldn’t be easy.

He remembered that couple fighting in the hospital the other day and said with concern, “You’re going to have a tough time.”

“I’ve had tough times before.” Qiao Le was unfazed. “I’m not afraid.”

When he first left school, he barely had any money. He worked construction to make quick cash, carrying countless bags of cement and sand. Later, he juggled three jobs a day and survived on four hours of sleep. He got through it.

Strong people don’t complain about their circumstances. His kids would definitely be just as tough.

Besides, winter break was coming. He’d have plenty of time to adjust, and since it was winter, bulky clothes would help him hide the pregnancy.

Winters in Yunjing lasted long—sometimes until early May. He could figure something out when his belly got too big to hide.

He said to Shen Hechuan, “I did the math. The due date falls right in the middle of summer break. The timing’s perfect.”

Shen Hechuan was a little stunned. “You’ve already thought this all through?”

“Mm.” Qiao Le nodded. “All of it.”

During those two days waiting for the specialists opinion, he’d already prepared plans for both outcomes—whether he could terminate or not.

After leaving the hospital, the two of them met up with David and Lu Qian for dinner, then swung by an after-school program to pick up Qiao Man.

Qiao Man’s piano class was once a week and ended at 9 p.m.

Seeing him bouncing toward them, Qiao Le thought, Soon there’ll be three little ones at home.

Shen Hechuan bent down to scoop Qiao Man up and put him in the car. When he turned around, he saw Qiao Le staring at him and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.” Qiao Le glanced around, saw no one nearby, then quickly leaned in to kiss him. “I was just thinking—you’re definitely going to be a great dad.”

Caught off guard by the compliment, Shen Hechuan raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Of course.”

Back home, Qiao Le took the consultation documents and brought them to his room. While organizing his drawer, a file slipped out.

He bent down to pick it up, and when his eyes landed on the cover, his hand froze.

It was the marriage agreement between him and Shen Hechuan.

The contract was for five years.

Qiao Le was stunned. “…Huh?”

Wait a minute.

What happens to the kids after they get divorced in five years?

One each?!