"WHAT?" Xue Jinxu felt she could be deranged at any moment.  How did his monologue turn to that direction?

In Chen Linyun's mind, he added, 'I am not even sure if you would come to hate our child as well if you know the truth.'

The Chen couple was currently in Chen Linyun's secret room – his man-cave - in his office at Chen Holdings.  They were having such a serious one-on-one conversation – a confrontation of its kind.

Xue Jinxu blinked her eyes several times.  She was curious, alright, but instantly discerning the threat that might destroy her family, she was ready to turn a blind eye. 

"If you don't want to tell me, I won't push for it.  Your health is more important.  Our family, too." She constantly rubbed her husband's back soothingly, from the shoulder blades up to the waist and back up.  "Don't worry too much.  You won't lose me.   I won't leave you.  Let's throw the option of divorce out of the window."

Chen Linyun allowed his wife to console him, although, in his mind, he retorted, 'Don't promise anything without knowing the truth.  The child…'

He unceremoniously bent forward towards Xue Jinxu's baby b.u.mp and landed a gentle kiss on it.  The wife stroked his hair, her heart, melting from the unexpected gesture. 

"Don't worry about me or our child.  We are strong.  But I'm worried about you, dear.  I don't want you to get sick again.  Come. Let's go home.  I'll cook for you.  What do you like to eat?"

Chen Linyun stood straight and stared at his understanding wife.  Without saying much, he cupped her face with his right hand and shut her up with a long, sensual kiss.  Any words could not translate his kisses which were in the lines of grat.i.tude and deep affection for his beloved, with a touch of insecurity and fear and longing.

This wife in his arms would certainly be the most precious gem in the whole wide world.

And now, he simply might lose this amazing lady because of his birthright? 

In the midst of kissing her, his mind went ablur. 

'I love you… I love you but.'

'I have filthy blood inside me.  I'm not proud of my bloodline.'

'You hate that man, right?  The man who caused your miscarriage before.  The man who caused you several problems in the past, one after another.  The man who schemed against Guangxi and your whole family.'

'I… I'm related to that man.  Sola and I are.  What would you do?'

While kissing her, his eyes that were closed still popped some beads of tears.

Xue Jinxu had gotten more worried.  They had not shared a kiss this intense for a while.  'Could it be… a… goodbye kiss? No.  It cannot be.'

When they parted, Xue Jinxu burst into tears herself.  She had felt strong anxiety during that kiss.  "Chen Linyun, why do I feel threatened?"

"We're going to be happy – the three of us.  Please stop worrying over something which you cannot share with me.  If it threatens our family, then let's stop it before it affects us.  Don't let anything or anyone affect us."

"In the meantime, forget about it.  Think of just me and our little one, here, okay?  I need attention, too, you know?"

She feigned laugh amidst her tears.

"See, you're making me and our baby cry.  Daddy's making mommy cry, little b.u.mp." She was gibberish spouting baby talk.

It made Chen Linyun curl his lips up, and his eyes more loving and mellow.  "I'm sorry." He said while wiping her cheeks with his thumbs.  Then he bent forward again towards the baby b.u.mp and kissed it lightly one more time.  "Sorry, little b.u.mp.  Daddy's bad, right?"

"No, no… Daddy's so good." Xue Jinxu reb.u.t.ted while gently caressing her b.u.mp with her palm.  "But he makes Mommy worry.  Don't do that again, Daddy.  Tell him, little b.u.mp."

"Can you make us your first priority?"

"I'm sorry." Chen Linyun softly muttered to the wife while staring at her almond eyes.  "Okay, let's set it aside for later."

"Let's go home.  I'll take care of you and pamper you the way you deserve.  I've been neglecting you.  I'm really sorry." Chen Linyun indulgently wrapped one arm around Xue Jinxu and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"If you're really sorry then make up for it!" She playfully acted up fierce but finished with a huge grin.  "Don't do that again."

The husband sighed before planting another kiss on her forehead, then on her lips, just brus.h.i.+ng it.  In his mind, he retorted, 'We'll tackle this again after the childbirth.'

With intertwined hands, the love birds exited the Chen Holdings office and went home for the day. 

At home, Chen Linyun cooked a feast for the wife, which made Xue Jinxu drool over it.  She took pictures of it and videos of the husband while making the delicacies to "doc.u.ment" that special day, as she had put it.  They were all too lovey-dovey that the sight made Xue Guangxi cringe and almost vomit because they were extraordinarily more cheesy and mushy that night than any other day.  They ignored his whims as if he wasn't there.

'For Xue Jinxu and our little one.'

'I'll set it aside for now.'

'I have to be strong for my family.  I would presume Xue Jinxu loves me for me and not for who I am related to.  She loves me and fell in love with Chen Linyun the person, the individual.'

'I hope nothing will change after she discovers the truth.  I really hope so.'

'And I hope, too, that the truth will not be out before I tell her myself.'

Chen Linyun kept a smile pasted on his rueful face as he fed his wife spoonfuls of sumptuous food.  The wife returned the favor and did the same. Once in a while, she would wipe the corners of his mouth clean.

The poor Xue Guangxi who ate with them and lived with them couldn't even swallow his food. "Why am I here?  I should have eaten dinner outside!"  He whined, and the Chen couple just laughed at him and brushed him off, as they continued their lovey-dovey exchanges as a soon-to-be family of three.