1225: This I Promise You

This I Promise You

"Hm," Lu Zihao replied, still looking calm and casual. Those close to him, however, could detect that he was very pleased.  0

An excited Grandpa Lu flew towards them. "Is that true?! Jinjing my girl is really pregnant?! I'm going to have another great-grandbaby?! Tell me, I want to know! If you dare lie to your beloved grandpa, this old man will smack the bloody hell out of you, Haohao!"

Long Jinjing gathered all of her courage and stepped between the grandfather and grandson, feeling worried that the old man would smack her boyfriend again like usual. Everyone's expectant gazes were on her. She felt pressured but steeled herself.

"Yes, Grandpa Lu," she replied instead of Lu Zihao. "It's true. I'm pregnant with Zihao's baby. You're going to have another great-grandchild."

"Bahahahaha!" Grandpa Lu pulled both Long Jinjing and Lu Zihao into an enthusiastic hug. The arm holding Long Jinjing was gentle while the other hand didn't hold back in smacking—ehem ehem—"patting" his grandson's back.

Long Jinjing winced at the loud thumps. Although this kind of scene wasn't new to her and Lu Zihao didn't seem to mind at all, it still worried her. It felt like she was the one getting hit with every smack. She didn't want her boyfriend getting hurt.

Fortunately, the old man didn't "pat" his grandson for too long. He released the couple and grinned at them. His joyful smile almost stretched from ear to ear.

"This old man is very happy! So my grandson isn't such a big dunderhead after all! First, it was Xiulan my girl. And now, it's you, Jinjing my girl. You sisters are absolute blessings to my pinheaded grandsons! Your beloved grandpa has been so worried for the longest time that I'm going to die without ever meeting my great-grandbabies from these pinheads, but now they decide to pop them one after another. This is the best! Today, we celebrate! Bahahahaha!"

The others echoed Grandpa Lu's delight. Everyone was in high spirits during breakfast. Grandpa Lu's grin never stopped. He looked at his two grandsons, Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao, with great pride. Of course, he became even happier when looking at Iris and Long Jinjing, both pregnant with his much-awaited precious great-grandbabies. 

After breakfast, the group had no choice but to disperse. Iris had an important meeting to start the process of setting up her holding company. Jin Liwei and Grandpa Lu would be accompanying her, the former as her business advisor and the latter as her academic evaluator. 

Grandpa Lu was a little regretful. He wanted to chat longer with Lu Zihao and Long Jinjing but Iris' meeting today was very important to her business career as well as her academic grades. 

"I also have to go to work, Grandpa Lu," Long Jinjing told him. "We can talk again later tonight."

The old man narrowed his eyes at her. "You're pregnant now, my girl. Don't work yourself too hard and end up in bed rest like your sister! Do you hear me? Tell me that you understand. I want to know!"

"Yes, Grandpa Lu. I understand."

Grandpa Lu still didn't looked convinced. He turned to his grandson. "Haohao, you take care of your wife! If something bad happens to her, watch this old man spank your butt!"

Long Jinjing flinched when Grandpa Lu referred to her as Lu Zihao's wife. There was anxiety and guilt but also happiness all mixed up together in her heart. She was anxious because Lu Zihao still didn't love her and guilty because she rejected Lu Zihao when he wanted to bring her to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register their marriage. As for happiness, of course, she felt happy. She loved Lu Zihao and felt glad that his grandfather approved of their relationship.

After saying goodbye to the others, Long Jinjing and Lu Zihao returned to the bedroom. They were getting ready to send Long Jinjing to Orchidia Beauty. Lu Zihao was going to personally drive her. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

"Ready?"

She nodded and followed him, feeling a little distracted. After confessing her pregnancy in front of Grandpa Lu and the others, she felt lighter and refreshed. There was no reason for her to hide her pregnancy. Long Jinjing wasn't a famous celebrity like Iris who needed to be careful about the nosy general public following her every single move. 

Despite her sibling relationship with Iris, not a lot of people was really interested in Long Jinjing. This suited her just fine. In fact, she preferred to live a low-key life. Lu Zihao was the same way. Now she knew why. His hidden criminal background couldn't be exposed to outsiders no matter what or it would ruin him and most likely implicate those who were close to him.

It was no longer just her love for him and their sexual attraction that were keeping them together. They now had a baby that would connect them forever regardless of whether their own relationship as lovers would work out in the end or not. 

The only issue of exposing her pregnancy right now would be that she got pregnant out of wedlock. If she didn't marry him soon before giving birth, then their child would be illegitimate just like her. She didn't want her own child to experience the same discrimination that she herself went through.

After reflecting on her previous fight with Lu Zihao, she now realized that her baby should be her number one priority especially with her own illegitimate background. Her own feelings were still important, of course, but her baby's future must be secured first.

They were in the middle of walking in the hallway when she grabbed his hand to stop him.

"Hm?" Lu Zihao looked at her, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Let's marry, Nikolai."

His expression became serious. He faced her properly and held both her hands. "We will."

She bit her lower lip. "I can, uhm, get off work earlier today. Then we can go straight to the Civil Affairs Bureau after you pick me up at the company in the afternoon. Is that okay?"

"No."

Her eyes widened. Then she frowned in confusion.

"I know that this kind of hasty marriage is not what you want. Don't compromise for me, Jinjing. I will give you a proper wedding. Whatever kind of wedding you want, we will have it. This I promise you."

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