His voice was low and husky. "I know losing the child hit you hard, but you can't shut me out. Let's face this together and solve it together, okay?"
"Ruo..."
Before he could get the next word out, Han Chong's clueless face popped up again, showing off his palm like a treasure. "Young master, I found the keys..."
"Hurry up and open the door!"
Shen Xiaoxing furrowed his thick brows. He'd have to replace this personal subordinate another day—this one was way too dumb!
The bathroom door swung open. Before Han Chong could see what was happening inside, the man reached out, covered his eyes, and dragged him away.
"None of your business, get lost!"
Knowing the two were at odds over the child and that the young master was in a foul mood, Han Chong didn't want to be a punching bag. He wisely backed out of the room, not forgetting to close the door behind him.
Shen Xiaoxing walked in with a grim face. The girl sat dazed in the bathtub, still in her pajamas, not looking like she intended to bathe. His brows knitted together as he strode over, reaching in to test the water temperature—thankfully, it wasn't cold.
Remembering how hard he'd kicked the door, loud enough for the downstairs servants to hear, yet she remained motionless in that pose, unresponsive.
Shen Xiaoxing finally sensed something was wrong. He slowly crouched down, his dark eyes fixed on her. "Ruo Ruo, can you hear me?"
Seeing her like this truly worried him, but he didn't know how to help her move past the pain.
An Ruo's thick lashes cast shadows. "I want to be alone for a while."
"Alright, I'll give you time alone. But promise me you'll come out and eat something first." Shen Xiaoxing's tone softened gradually, coaxing her like a child. "Once you've eaten, I'll leave."
The girl hesitated for a moment. Seeing she didn't object, Shen Xiaoxing reached out and lifted her from the tub, ignoring how her wet clothes soaked his own. He changed her out of her pajamas, dried her off, and dressed her in loungewear.
She'd just had a miscarriage—she couldn't be exposed to water, not even hot water.
Shen Xiaoxing gently rubbed her head, then pressed the call button to have the servants bring up light food. He fed her tenderly, tying up her troublesome long hair with a hair tie.
She didn't eat much, but the fact that she ate at all eased his mind considerably.
The Shen Corporation had a mountain of messes waiting for him, but he couldn't bear to leave the girl alone at home. So he set up his office in the study.
All morning, the girl stayed holed up in her room. Servants knocked periodically to bring milk, fruit, and small snacks she could eat and that would nourish her.
Through the screen, the man watched her haggard, pale face and hollow eyes staring into the distance. He'd never seen An Ruo like this.
The sudden loss of the child weighed heavily on him too.
Before, he'd thought marriage held no promise. The bloody lessons before him reminded him he didn't want to end up like his mother—losing herself, dying for love and for that man!
As a avenger from hell, he didn't deserve anyone's affection. With his background, forever branded a "bastard" and "illegitimate," no woman would want him. So he'd never considered having children, and he didn't like them anyway.
But then he met An Ruo, and everything changed. He'd barely accepted this child because of her, set up everything to protect it, yet one oversight let harm befall it.
A living, breathing little life—he and the girl had eagerly awaited its arrival, but in the end, they couldn't keep it!
Shen Xiaoxing was furious and heartbroken, too upset to deal with these trivial matters. He had to stay clear-headed, take care of An Ruo, and plan his revenge against the second branch of the family. He'd settle this score on the spot!
...
A servant carried out the cooled sweets and shook her head slightly at the man.
Shen Xiaoxing's thick brows furrowed slightly. He tightened his proud jaw and waved his hand. The servant bowed slightly and withdrew.
A whole day had passed. The girl either curled up in the rocking chair by the window, staring blankly, or lay in bed sleeping. She slept restlessly, often waking from nightmares, her appearance heartbreaking.
At dinner time, a servant entered to remind her, but the girl remained unmoving in the rocking chair, her once bright eyes now dull and lifeless.
Like an angel whose courage to soar had been broken—a beauty in ruin.
The door opened, and a servant tiptoed in. "Madam, dinner is ready. The young master ordered your favorite dishes. Would you like to come down and eat?"
Seeing her unresponsive, the servant added, "If you don't want to go down, I can bring it up for you, okay?"
Still no reaction.
The servant was about to leave when An Ruo's long lashes fluttered. She pressed her lips together. "I'm not hungry."
That was the most she'd said all day.
"Even if you're not hungry, you should eat a little." This was Shen Xiaoxing's personally promoted maid—smart and quick-witted, unlike the others, knowing how to guide gently.
"As the saying goes, 'Man is iron, food is steel; missing one meal leaves you weak.'"
"..."
"Madam, you haven't eaten all day. Your body won't hold up like this."
An Ruo was lost in her own world, not wanting to be disturbed. But this woman wasn't like the rigid, rule-bound maids—she talked too much, making it hard for her to think.
She lifted her beautiful eyes to look at her. "What's your name?"
"Zao Zao. Lin Zao Zao."
An Ruo studied her.
The girl had brown hair tied in a bun, a maid's headband knotted into a bow at the back of her head. Her bright, spirited black eyes shone, and her cheeks had a slight baby fat—she was the cute type.
Truth be told, none of the maids in the villa were bad-looking. Some young, budding girls couldn't take their eyes off Shen Xiaoxing every day.
At first, An Ruo felt jealous. When the man found out, he teased her mercilessly, saying she was even jealous of the maids, and swore that in his eyes, besides her, all other women were just background!
But in that dream, he was smugly holding An Qing!
At the thought, An Ruo's brows furrowed suddenly. She turned her face away and fell silent.
Lin Zao Zao noticed her expression darken after asking her name. Puzzled, she asked, "Madam, did my name remind you of something bad?"
"No." An Ruo shook her head. She was always polite, never taking her frustrations out on others. She forced a faint smile. "Your name is very nice."
"When I was little, my family was poor. My mother hadn't gone to school and had little education. Since I was born in the morning, she gave me that name."
An Ruo said blankly, "You're very lucky."
Unlike her, who had no parents and was named by unrelated Grandma An.
She'd thought she could be a good mother. A while ago, bored at the company, she'd impulsively picked out names for her unborn child. She'd saved a few good ones in her notebook. She never got the chance to show Shen Xiaoxing before the child was gone.
Lin Zao Zao watched her eyes dim. Remembering the man's instructions before she came, she bit her lip slightly. "Madam, the news says there'll be a meteor shower tonight. How about we go make a wish?"
Such impractical things were only for young girls.