350—Chairman Li Reads A Fairytale

Three weeks passed uneventfully, with Pei Yueran adjusting to life as an expectant mother being babied by those around her.

When they began informing their family, it was round after round of congratulations. The house workers made a congratulatory video for the couple, and Min Shiyi, Gong Anwei and Fang Bo had a smile everytime the couple stepped into view.

Min Shiyi was particularly proud, as though she had a hand in the present situation. To her, she was their guardian angel who silently helped them to get together.

Zhang Heying and her husband were very excited. They went straight to the mansion, grinning from ear to ear. In no time at all, Li Qianye informed them that they had set up a trust fund for the twins.

Zhou Qiaohui was beyond ecstatic when she was told, so much so that she burst into tears on the phone, making Pei Yueran cry too.

The boys were the happiest though. Li Yuchen kept jumping around, amazed that he would have two sisters soon. Not one, but two? What was this concept?!

Han Yichen was very pleased too. His only worry was that man lurking around. He was the only one with the ability to agitate his mother.

Zhang Heying made sure to send fresh soups to the house everyday for Pei Yueran to try, though half of it always ended up in Li Chuanmo's hands since he was also having trouble eating other kinds of foods.

Unfortunately, he wasn't as lucky as she was. Whatever soup went through his mouth came out the same way. After a few days of that, he simply gave up on eating breakfast.

Thanks to Zhang Heying's intentional efforts, the expectant mother looked even healthier than before. Pei Yueran's already fair skin even glowed fairer and softer, giving her a maternal aura that Li Chuanmo found particularly difficult to resist.

Pei Yueran also had to reduce her workload at the office. She went to work during the week as usual, but no longer went during the weekends and instead focused on nurturing her pregnancy.

It turned out that Li Chuanmo was really serious about the children's prenatal education. Once they returned from the office each evening, they would go to the nursery where Li Chuanmo would play something he considered educational.

It was classical music on some evenings. On others, it was news reports about things going on in the world. When Pei Yueran asked why he chose to make the twins listen to such programs instead of more kid-friendly entertainment, he said he had a strong connection with them and could feel that they loved it.

After that though, he would settle down on the sofa, cuddle Pei Yueran to him and read to their unborn babies from one of the numerous storybooks he had purchased.

That was Pei Yueran's favorite part of the whole routine. Classical music was good and all, but nothing could beat listening to her husband's voice in her opinion. It had a soothing quality to it that made her very pores relax in enjoyment.

This day was one of such evenings. After Pei Yueran suffered through an hour of classical music, it was finally time to listen to a story retold in Li Chuanmo's enigmatic voice.

He was doing a series on the classic fairytales, and today's story was about the princess in the chest. When he brought the pink book out, Pei Yueran frowned.

"Why this book? When did you even get it?" She asked, trying to take it away. Li Chuanmo only had to raise his hand up to put it out of her reach.

"It's a fairytale classic, no?"

"Don't read this. It's too scary. They would be frightened."

"But it would help expose them to the harsher realities of life," Li Chuanmo patiently reasoned with her, but she would have none of it.

A story where the main character arose from the dead nightly to eat up the person standing guard over her was not just demonstrating the "harsh realities of life," it was downright horrifying.

Since one person didn't want to agree with the other, Pei Yueran began to struggle for the book, stretching to take it out of his hand.

Li Chuanmo smirked. She couldn't outstretch him for sure. He dodged her nimbly, all the while protecting her stomach with his broad palm.

After moments of trying to reach his hand without success, she abandoned the thought and switched to another tactic.

Pouting delicately, she said softly, "Chuan, give me the book, won't you?" Even her lashes swirled gently along.

Li Chuanmo refused to be swayed, grinning as he spoke, "That's usually my strategy, don't use it on me."

Annoyed by his grin, Pei Yueran quickly thought for a moment. If her show of strength didn't work, and neither did her look of pity, then she would try something else.

So she settled back against the sofa. Meeting his eyes, she put a hand on the first button on her cream colored shirt and moved to unbutton it.

Li Chuanmo's eyes darkened immediately.

"You don't play fair." He said.

"All is fair in love and war," she responded sweetly, already opening the third button.

Seeing the white of her well-developed chest flash before his eyes, Li Chuanmo surrendered without thinking. He put the book aside and went for the true treasure.

Pei Yueran's phone chose to ring at that very moment, clearing the haze in her brain slightly.

From the corner of her eyes, she noticed that it was Xu Kexin. "Stop, let me take this call first," she said.

Li Chuanmo groaned in rapidly building frustration. Couldn't this person find a better time to call?

"Kexin hi, what happened?" Pei Yueran's voice was low at first because she was trying to hide the effect Li Chuanmo had on her, but her voice went up a notch when she heard Xu Kexin's teary voice.

What could make the bride to be sound so panicked and tearful on the eve of her wedding?

"Yueran, it's bad. The police just barged in and arrested Du Zimo."

*****

Little Theatre:

S_J: Chairman Li, I am disappointed in you! How could you give in just like that? Don't you want your babies to learn about life's realities anymore?

LCM: (Gives author a side eye) Of course learning about the world is important, but nothing is more important than an opportunity to explore my wife's assets.

S_J: "..."

(Mumbling) What bigshot, cold chairman? You're a disappointment!