Chapter 2: Runrun and Master Xiao Get Their Marriage Certificate

The next morning, as the first light of dawn crept across the sky, Shi Runrun’s slender figure appeared outside the hospital. She had spent the night under an overpass, sheltering in a bridge’s hollow, for she had neither money nor a place to stay. To avoid missing her surgery, she had barely slept at all, setting out for the hospital as soon as the sun rose.

Last night, she had thought it all through. Even though her heart ached with reluctance, bringing this child into the world was simply too unrealistic. She had no choice.

But as she reached the hospital entrance, her steps faltered—no matter how hard she tried, she could not force herself inside. From the moment she arrived, her hand had unconsciously drifted to her abdomen countless times. There, a tiny life was growing, bound to her by blood and flesh.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself to make a decision and was about to enter when, suddenly, a convoy of luxury cars appeared, surrounding her completely.

A door swung open on a white Maserati. A man in a suit stepped out, his long legs carrying him toward her.

It was him—the man from that night.

Shi Runrun never expected she would encounter him here. Her eyes widened in shock, and she stood frozen on the spot.

He gazed at her with those deep, dark eyes, each stride exuding elegance and regal bearing, drawing the attention of everyone at the hospital entrance.

He stopped before her, lowering his gaze. The force of his presence made Shi Runrun’s heart quiver involuntarily.

“Do you remember me?” Xiao Xuezheng looked at her, his voice low and steady.

“I do—” Shi Runrun instinctively nodded, then shook her head, eyes dropping to avoid his. At last, she found the courage to look up, only to see the handsome face before her, his beautiful black eyes shadowed by pronounced dark circles. “Uncle… why are you at the hospital? Are you ill?”

He couldn’t help but laugh at her question. Why was he here?

Last night, Yu Nan had come to his house, clutching her ultrasound report and telling him she was pregnant. It was like a bomb had been dropped, shaking the entire Xiao family.

His grandparents, who had always scolded him for not marrying and giving them a great-grandchild, nearly leapt for joy at the news. For years, despite their immense wealth and prestigious status at the top of Jing City’s elite, the Xiao family had been mocked for their lack of heirs. People whispered behind their backs that, for all their riches, their family line was about to end.

So when he learned she was carrying his child, he was both astonished and delighted—until Yu Nan revealed that she intended to have the baby aborted. Panicked, he immediately set out to find her, his grandparents threatening that if anything happened to their great-grandchild, he needn’t bother coming home.

He searched the city all night, circling Jing City again and again, but she was nowhere to be found. In the end, Xiao Xuezheng stationed himself outside the hospital and, after a sleepless night, finally caught this little fool.

Looking at her now, so small and frail, her waist as slender as a sheet of paper, she seemed as delicate as a porcelain doll—one gust of wind, and she might shatter.

Xiao Xuezheng still struggled to believe it. With his hereditary low fertility, how could just one night have resulted in her pregnancy?

He couldn’t help but recall that night. After confirming her age, he’d carried her to bed. He remembered how soft her waist was, how tender her lips, the sweet scent of her skin—he simply couldn’t help himself and had wanted her again and again.

“Why are you at the hospital?” he asked her in return.

Shi Runrun fell silent at his question. After a long pause, she bit her lip, a hint of shame in her voice. “Uncle, I… I’m pregnant…”

“But don’t worry. I’m about to get rid of it. You won’t have to take responsibility…”

At her words, his expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself, not wanting to frighten her.

Xiao Xuezheng took a deep breath and spoke as gently as he could, “Why do you want to get rid of my child?” He deliberately emphasized “my,” though he wasn’t sure if this silly girl noticed.

Shi Runrun’s voice was low. “I… I’m still in school, no job, no income—I can’t even take care of myself.”

She couldn’t help but recall her first month back at the Shi family. Unacknowledged by them, she had to hide whenever guests visited, like a thief. She didn’t want her child to endure the same hardships she had.

Xiao Xuezheng regarded her intently, his gaze as deep as the sea. After a moment, he reached out and grasped her wrist.

She flinched, instinctively trying to pull away, but his grip was firm, warmth seeping through their point of contact.

“Come,” he said, “let’s go inside first.”

Without waiting for her consent, he led her into the hospital.

Under his insistence, Shi Runrun underwent a series of examinations. She was confused—if she was about to have surgery, why all these tests?

But seeing him waiting outside the examination room, she swallowed her questions.

Outside, however, the whispered conversations of the nurses drifted to her ears.

“Who is that girl? She must be someone for Master Xiao to accompany her personally!”

“I know, right? That’s Master Xiao! The heir to the richest family in Jing City, head of Guangzheng Group, the country’s largest corporation. For him to lower himself to come here and wait—this girl must be something special!”

“Look, even the director came down to accompany them! Tsk, tsk, people with power really are different…”

Inside, lying on the ultrasound bed, Shi Runrun’s eyes widened in disbelief.

So, her “uncle” was actually the eldest grandson of the Xiao family, Xiao Xuezheng.

She’d heard the name before, on television. As a finance major, she often saw him featured on business channels. Guangzheng Group was a landmark of Jing City, the dream employer for countless professionals.

And now, she had gotten herself involved with such a powerful figure…

Shi Runrun suddenly felt flustered.

After the examinations, in a luxurious VIP ward, the doctor entered carrying a thick stack of results.

Ji Yunan was the first to address her, “Hello, little sister-in-law! I’m Ji Yunan, Xuezheng’s childhood friend and best buddy. Please take care of me in the future!”

What?

Sister-in-law?

Was this handsome man talking to her?

“I’m not your sister-in-law… What are you all trying to do?” she stammered.

Ji Yunan grinned. “Don’t worry, you will be soon!”

The next moment, Xiao Xuezheng nudged him aside. “Out, I need to speak with her.”

Ji Yunan nodded with a smile and said to Shi Runrun, “Then, little sister-in-law, I’ll be off now. See you next time!”

Now, there were only the two of them in the ward.

Xiao Xuezheng sat beside her, his voice gentle. “Is it just because you’re unemployed and have no income that you decided to abort the baby?”

Shi Runrun nodded, then shook her head. “Also… I don’t know you, and I can’t find you. That night, you helped me—I don’t want to trouble you…”

He sighed softly. “But do you know? It’s not just your child—it’s mine, too.”

Among the tests was a paternity check; there was no doubt the child was his.

Shi Runrun fell silent.

Xiao Xuezheng looked at her fluffy head, and his tone softened. “If I marry you, promise to take care of you and the baby—will you agree to keep the child?”

A flash of disbelief lit her eyes. She stared at him, wide-eyed.

What did he just say?

Marriage?

He actually wanted to marry her?

Was she hearing things?

The next second, he stood, bent over, and seized her restless hands. “I’m not joking. Everything’s arranged at the Civil Affairs Bureau. We’re going to register our marriage now.”

Shi Runrun’s mind went blank. She was whisked away, bundled into a luxury car, and soon found herself at the Civil Affairs Bureau, going through the marriage registration process.

“That’s it—the bride and groom, a little closer. Groom, put your arm around the bride’s waist!”

Xiao Xuezheng reached out, drawing her close.

She felt a gentle pressure at her waist, his strong hand imparting warmth and a sense of security that seemed to reach deep into her heart.

Thump, thump.

Shi Runrun couldn’t help it—her heart skipped wildly, and a rosy flush crept across her cheeks.

“Perfect! Now, say cheese!”

Click—their photograph was instantly printed, stamped onto their marriage certificate, the official seal marking their legal union.

Shi Runrun gazed at the photo: the man tall, handsome, exuding noble elegance; the woman petite, sweet, and adorable. They truly looked like a perfect match.

Before she could study it further, his large hand reached over and took her certificate.

“Hey, Uncle, I get a copy too!”

“This only matters when you get divorced. I’ll keep it safe for you.”