The group dropped the topic of Lou Xinrou, and as the driver arrived, Su Manhan helped Qiao Jing open the car door.
"Qiao Jing, Nanqing, you two head to work."
Qiao Jing nodded and got into the car with Zhan Nanqing, heading to the research institute.
Inside the research institute.
Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing arrived at the lab where they worked. Just as they had donned their work attire, someone approached the door.
Xu Hongzu’s expression was somewhat strange at the moment, his gaze occasionally falling on Qiao Jing’s belly.
He had been startled when he saw the Moments post from Su Manhan about becoming a grandmother. His first thought was that Zhan Nanqing was pregnant; after all, in his mind, the relationship between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei couldn’t possibly have progressed so rapidly.
But then he had given it more thought and realized that Zhan Nanqing wasn’t even dating anyone at the moment, so it was unlikely to be her.
Moreover, even if there was a pregnancy, that would make her a grandmother, not a granny.
It wasn’t until he received a deliberately sent message from Zhan Yuanshan—a sonogram image made by Qiao Jing—that Old Man Zhan boasted to him for half a day. He hadn’t believed it at first, but when he saw the name of the person examined, he knew it was true.
But if that was the case, then wouldn’t his rascal of a son have no chance at all?
Qiao Jing paused in her work and looked up at Xu Hongzu.
"What is it, Grandpa Xu?"
As soon as she had finished speaking, she noticed Xu Hongzu’s gaze on her lower abdomen and instantly understood what was going on.
Qiao Jing didn’t initiate the conversation but waited for Xu Hongzu to ask.
Xu Hongzu hesitated, looking at Qiao Jing and finally, gritting his teeth, he asked:
"Xiao Jing, about this pregnancy... I didn’t believe it when I saw Su Manhan’s Moments post, but Old Man Zhan sent me a sonogram just to spite me, nearly gave me a heart attack."
How could this fine head of cabbage be dug up by the pig from the Zhan Family!
Did he have a feud with the Zhan Family or what? First Old Man Zhan competed with him over someone, and now Old Man Zhan’s grandson is also competing with his grandson.
What kind of karma is this?!
Qiao Jing lowered her eyes to her abdomen, her lips pursing helplessly.
"The pregnancy is real, Grandpa Xu. Please don’t talk about it with outsiders."
Since the people she wanted to keep it from already knew, there was no need for her to keep hiding it.
Fortunately, only people close to them were aware, as Su Manhan and Zhan Yuanshan had so far only told their close friends. She would give them a heads up later to keep it contained.
Xu Hongzu now thoroughly believed it and was momentarily at a loss for words.
In the end, he sighed.
"Alright, I got it. I won’t disturb your work any longer."
The situation had developed to this point; Qiao Jing was indeed pregnant, and his bratty grandson was utterly hopeless now.
Qiao Jing nodded and responded with a quiet "okay."
Zhan Nanqing, who had been listening the whole time, waited until Xu Hongzu had left before releasing the words that had been bottled up inside her.
"I think Elder Xu came just to fish for information, probably for Xu Moqian. Now they can definitely give up for good!"
After returning to his lab, Xu Hongzu quickly took out his phone and called Xu Moqian. It took a while before the call was answered.
"You rascal! Where did you run off to?"
Xu Moqian was still sleeping at home at the time, rudely roused by the call. Just as he was about to lash out, he saw who the caller was.
He didn’t dare to provoke the Retired Emperor of his family and could only muster the strength to keep his eyelids open, sneezed, and slowly began to speak:
"What’s the matter, Grandpa? I, ha—I’m asleep right now."
He finally had a chance to sleep in today, but he was rudely awakened by a phone call from his grandpa. What could be so urgent that it warranted a call from his grandpa?
After hearing Xu Moqian’s words, Xu Hongzu scolded him with a face full of disappointment and anger:
"Still sleeping! Do you know about Qiao Jing’s pregnancy?!"
This good-for-nothing kid! The news about Qiao Jing’s pregnancy is spreading, and this brat is still soundly asleep at home!
Xu Moqian stared blankly for a moment before leisurely stretching, and then he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
"Grandpa, you’ve gotta be kidding me. Qiao Jing pregnant? That’s never going to happen in this lifetime, right? I must still be dreaming. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to my dream. I’m dead tired."
He was definitely still groggy or maybe still dreaming, or perhaps he was hallucinating.
Qiao Jing pregnant? How could that be possible?
Xu Hongzu’s eyes bulged with frustration provoked by Xu Moqian, and he unleashed a torrent of scolding, intending to verbalize the younger man into wakefulness.
"You good-for-nothing! Get out of bed and wash your face right now, or slap yourself to see if you’re dreaming! Do you think I would joke about something like Qiao Jing’s pregnancy?! I’m sending you the ultrasound image right now, so you can see for yourself and wake up!"
After dropping that statement, he hung up the phone in a huff and forwarded the picture sent by Zhan Yuanshan to Xu Moqian.
The previously disbelieving Xu Moqian was scolded into a semblance of wakefulness.
A sense of foreboding arose in his heart. He wiped his face with his hand, trying to become more alert.
When Xu Moqian received the image forwarded by Xu Hongzu, he looked at it with a frown and uncertainty as he clicked on it.
It wasn’t until he saw the name of the person being examined, and the three fetuses in the ultrasound, that he froze in shock.
Xu Moqian sprang up like a carp flipping out of water, jumped out of bed, dashed to the bathroom to wash his face, and looked at his phone again. Once he realized he wasn’t dreaming, he stood utterly still.
"How is that possible... That’s Sister Jing... Sister Jing pregnant? Impossible, there must be some mistake!"
He had told Qiao Jing himself that if he got pregnant, she never would.
But now... he wasn’t pregnant, and Qiao Jing actually was!
Desperate for the full story, Xu Moqian drove at breakneck speed to the research institute to ask Qiao Jing in person.
If it wasn’t from Sister Jing herself, he would never believe it!
Inside the research institute.
Qiao Jing was initially focused on her work when a burst of hurried footsteps at the door forced her to put down her tasks to see what was happening.
Upon seeing the newcomer was a sweating Xu Moqian, she furrowed her brows slightly, a hint of confusion crossing her face.
"What’s the matter? Why so urgent?"
She saw Xu Moqian looking harried as if some great disaster was about to strike, clearly more flustered than the last time.
After all, his forehead was covered in sweat, whether from rushing or from exhaustion.
Zhan Nanqing also looked over upon hearing the commotion and furrowed her brows when she saw Xu Moqian.
A woman’s intuition told her Xu Moqian’s visit definitely wasn’t a good sign, and it was one hundred percent something to do with Qiao Jing again.
Xu Moqian ignored Zhan Nanqing and marched straight to Qiao Jing, saying:
"Sister Jing! I have something very important to ask you, and I need you to answer me right now!"
Qiao Jing responded with a noncommittal "Hmm," waiting for Xu Moqian to continue.
But when she waited for a moment, he didn’t speak.