Once the festivity ended and Li Qin Yao had returned to her office, she immediately gathered her staff around to announced her pregnancy news. The moment Liang Sheng heard the news, he immediately understood why his boss has ȧssigned him and Xiao Lian Yi to attend any social event in her stead.
The meeting ended and Liang Sheng followed Li Qin Yao into her office.
"Congratulation," Liang Sheng wished and smiled. "I ȧssume this must be the reason why Chairman Li and his wife were over the moon when I came and visited them during the festivity season. I heard that your cousin, Director Li Ming Han, and his wife were also expecting. It turns out that there was happy news in the family."
Li Qin Yao smiled upon hearing his words. Among the cousin, Li Qin Yao and Li Ming Han were the only two who were married. Of course, Li Qin Yao had heard the news that her cousin and his wife were expecting from her grandmother during their last conversation.
"You went over to Li's residence?" Li Qin Yao asked.
There was a slight change in Liang Sheng's expression before he nodded. "Yes."
"How were my grandparents?"
"Both the Chairman and his wife are very well," Liang Sheng answered. The uneasy expression on his face disappeared and the professional smile on his face returned.
The phone on the table rang as Li Qin Yao was browsing through a few documents. A smile curled on her lips upon seeing the caller ID. Li Qin Yao slid her finger on the screen and quickly pressed it to her ear.
"Qin Yao, are you busy?" Zhang Yu Han's deep voice can be heard on the other side of the phone.
"Not really," Li Qin Yao leaned back on her chair. "I have delegated most of the things to both Liang Sheng and Xiao Lian Yi. Other than looking at the documents and reports, I don't have many things to do."
Unless if there was something major going on at the site, Li Qin Yao expected that her task would be much easier. Other than supervising the progress once in a while, there were not many things for her to do. Anyway, her grandfather had sent Liang Sheng, a very capable ȧssistant to her side. After working alongside each other for a few months, the two of them were able to work together better.
"Why did you call?" Li Qin Yao asked. She glanced at the door and was relieved to see that it was shut. "Did you miss me?"
Zhang Yu Han chuckled at her coquettish voice. "Of course I miss you." He heard her giggle on the line and his smile widened. The smile disappeared as he remembered the reason he called. "Qin Yao, I might be home late today. Granduncle Qi called me and I need to head over the residence soon."
"Something happened?" Li Qin Yao frowned.
On the second day of New Year, as according to their family tradition, Zhang Jing had dragged everyone to Qi's residence. The Qi family was his late wife's family and Zhang Jing was close to his brother-in-law. As the head of the Qi's, Qi Xi Feng would often look after the Zhang and had asked his successor, Qi Ming Wei, to do the same.
Previously during their visit, Li Qin Yao happened to overheard that Qi Ming Wei had run into some trouble and she was worried that something might happen to him.
"I'm not sure," Zhang Yu Han said. "But it shouldn't be anything serious. Don't worry about it. Qin Yao, should I ask Yu Ying to accompany you at home tonight?" He quickly changed the topic to avoid her worry.
"Yu Ying had just started dating. I ȧssume that she will have plans. Don't disturb her. I will be fine," Li Qin Yao ȧssured him. "Auntie Su will be around to prepare dinner. She can accompany me for a while. Besides, Nian Ting will be at my side as well."
The frown on Zhang Yu Han's face eased upon recalling that his wife will be accompanied by her guard until he came home. "Alright. Don't overwork yourself. Remember to come home early. You still have your check-up tomorrow."
At the mention of her check-up, Li Qin Yao was excited. This time, Doctor Qiao will give her another scan and she could not wait to see the development of her baby in the stomach.
"Un. I know," Li Qin Yao answered. "Han Yue Xiu will be coming to see me later. I will head home after having a meal with her."
The couple chatted briefly and hung up as Zhang Yu Han still need to drive over to the Qi's residence.
A frown appeared on her face and Li Qin Yao could not help but worry. Qi Ming Wei had helped her previously and Granduncle Qi had treated her well. Li Qin Yao could only hope that everything would be fine.
As Li Qin Yao was deep in her thought, a knock came to her door and staff announced that someone had come over to see her. Li Qin Yao walked out of her office and her early thought dispersed and a wide smile appeared on her face upon seeing Han Yue Xiu waiting for her.
"Yao Yao!" Han Yue Xiu's mouth gaped open upon seeing the slight bulge on her friend's stomach. "You are really pregnant?"
Li Qin Yao laughed upon seeing her reaction. "What? You think I lied?" Her gaze shifted and Li Qin Yao soon noticed that Song Yi was standing not far away from them. She turned to him and smiled. "Mr. Song. I still haven't got the chance to thank you properly the last time."
Song Yi stared at her and nodded. "There's no need to thank me. I just did what anyone in my situation would do."
"Yao Yao, what happened? Why did you suddenly thank him?" Han Yue Xiu looked at the two people back and forth.
Li Qin Yao saw the flinch in Song Yi's expression and knew that he did not want the contents of their discussion to be known to Han Yue Xiu. "I ran into Mr. Song the other day and he saved me from being hit by a car."
"Ah?" Han Yue Xiu stared at Li Qin Yao with surprise. "Such serious thing happened to you before and you didn't tell me?"
"Isn't it because I did not want you to worry?"
Song Yi watched the two friends exchange and was suddenly jealous of how well Han Yue Xiu was treating her friend. Why was it that she was never that gentle when she talked to him?
However, even if he was jealous, there was nothing he can do. He had promised himself to change and no longer force Han Yue Xiu. Moreover, Li Qin Yao was also his benefactor. Previously, he had listened to her words and found that Han Yue Xiu's attitude towards him had slowly changed.
The girls halted their conversation when they heard Song Yi cleared his throat.
"Han Yue Xiu, I will go now and come and pick you up later in the evening," Song Yi said. He nodded to Li Qin Yao and turned around to leave.
Once Song Yi had left the place, Li Qin Yao raised her brow to look at Han Yue Xiu. "Why are you two together?"
"He heard that I am coming to Y City to look after my apartment and told me that he too was heading here to meet a friend," Han Yue Xiu shrugged. "Anyway, someone from his family picked him up at the airport and he gave me a ride here."
Li Qin Yao quickly guessed that it was Song Yi's way of trying to get closer to her friend and therefore decided not to comment on it much.
"Right, Yao Yao," Han Yue Xiu raised the paper bags in her hand. "These are from my mom. She said to send some to your mother later."