Volume 1, Chapter 29: His Marriage to Cheng Qian Is Truly in Trouble

Li Zhinan was already feeling irritable. When he saw his son crying, his heart softened, and he crouched down beside him to comfort him: "Xiaoye, Daddy was just joking with you. Mommy will be back in a moment."

"Really?" Xiaoye blinked his watery eyes, brightening up.

At that moment, the doorbell rang at the courtyard gate.

The housekeeper went to take a look and asked, "Sir, are you expecting guests?"

Li Zhinan said calmly, "No."

The housekeeper asked, "Then whose car is that? Should I let it in?"

Li Zhinan glanced at the Aston Martin and said flatly, "Let it in."

The black SUV pulled up to the entrance of the main hall. A driver stepped out. The back door opened, and Ji Yuezhe stepped out. He turned to the woman behind him and said, "Go home and get some good rest. Didn't I tell you not to drink?"

Cheng Qian had a low tolerance for alcohol; one glass of red wine was enough to make her cheeks flush. Embarrassed, she said, "Thank you, Brother Yichen, for going out of your way to bring me back. I'm fine now."

Ji Yichen opened the trunk and helped her carry the heavy books. As the two reached the entrance of the living room, they saw the father and son standing by the door.

"Zhinan..." Ji Yichen, not expecting him to be home, greeted him with a smile.

Li Zhinan looked at Cheng Qian, who was standing behind him. Her fair skin was currently as vibrant as peach blossoms. A plaid coat gave her a look of pure innocence.

"Where is your car?" Li Zhinan asked her.

Ji Yichen replied, "She had some alcohol, so I had someone drive her car back. These are the books my father gave her; where should I put them?"

Cheng Qian said softly, "Take them upstairs. Follow me."

Ji Yichen immediately followed Cheng Qian to the second floor. After dropping off the books, he strode back down.

"Uncle Ji... you are so handsome," the little boy ran over, stood at the bottom of the stairs, and chirped with a smile.

Ji Yichen was taken aback. "Xiaoye, who taught you to be so smooth with your words?"

Xiaoye said in his milky voice, "Mommy taught me. She said if I see you, I have to tell you that you're very handsome."

Ji Yichen was instantly amused. Was it really Cheng Qian who taught him that?

Li Zhinan heard this, his expression shifting. This was exactly how Cheng Qian taught their son to help her fish for men, he thought.

"Zhinan, Qian's tolerance isn't great. She got this drunk after just one glass. Take care of her," Ji Yichen said with a smile.

Li Zhinan maintained a facade of courtesy and said coldly, "Thank you for the trouble."

"Don't mention it, we're all friends." After saying this, Ji Yichen crouched down and touched Xiaoye's hair. "Uncle Ji came in a hurry and didn't bring you a gift, but I definitely will next time."

"Okay, thank you!" The little boy jumped up with joy.

Li Zhinan picked up his son and said, "Say goodbye to Uncle Ji."

Ji Yichen: "..."

Couldn't he stay for a cup of tea before leaving?

"Goodbye, Uncle Ji." Xiaoye immediately waved his little hand.

Ji Yichen understood; there would be no tea for him today.

"Goodbye!" Ji Yichen smiled and got into the car.

He glanced back at Li Zhinan standing by the door, and the smile in his eyes slowly faded. Cheng Qian wanted a divorce, but with a son in the picture, the divorce might not proceed smoothly. Ji Yichen crossed his arms over his chest, his brow furrowed. If they couldn't divorce, what would their lives become? Could they continue to live separate lives?

Li Zhinan carried his son upstairs. In the study, Cheng Qian was organizing the bookshelf. Hearing footsteps, she turned around and came over to hold her child gently. "Xiaoye, let Mommy hold you."

The little boy reached out his short arms and plunged into Cheng Qian's embrace. "Mommy, if you hadn't come back, I would have started missing you."

Hearing this, Cheng Qian was full of joy. "Really? How much?"

"As much as Daddy misses you." The little boy didn't know how to express it well, but he could see that his father also wanted to see his mother.

Once these words were out, the atmosphere seemed to freeze. Li Zhinan stood coldly on the side and gave a faint huff. "I certainly didn't."

Cheng Qian didn't think he would miss her either. She kissed her son's cheek. "Mommy is going downstairs to find you something delicious."

"Yay, yay! Daddy wants to eat too!" The little boy clapped his small hands happily.

"He doesn't," Cheng Qian said coldly before heading downstairs.

Li Zhinan watched her indifferent back. Thinking of what Cheng Yan had said about her and Qiao Silin, and now having Ji Yichen acting as her protector, his cold eyes narrowed. She was quite busy these days, wasn't she?

Cheng Qian gave her son the small cake the housekeeper had baked, stayed with him while he ate, and then took him out of the courtyard, planning to go to the neighborhood’s public facilities to play.

Unexpectedly, ten minutes after they left, it suddenly started to pour. Cheng Qian had to carry her son into a pavilion, the little boy still clutching a pile of sand-digging tools. Cheng Qian wanted to wait for the rain to stop, but it didn't seem like it would let up anytime soon. She looked down at her son; the little boy looked disappointed because he couldn't build his sandcastle.

Cheng Qian took out her phone, intending to ask the housekeeper to bring an umbrella. Just then, in the misty rain, a tall figure walked over holding a large black umbrella.

"It's Daddy...!" The little boy's disappointed face lit up instantly.

Cheng Qian gripped her phone, frowning as she watched the man approach.

Li Zhinan stood at the entrance of the pavilion with the umbrella and said, "Let's go home. This rain is going to last a long time."

"Mommy, Daddy is here to pick us up," Xiaoye said. His vocabulary had increased rapidly recently; perhaps because he started school, he could express his thoughts fully.

Cheng Qian wanted to refuse his care, but she was still holding her son, and if the little boy got wet, he would catch a cold.

"Fine!" Cheng Qian didn't argue and walked out of the pavilion with her son.

The large black umbrella kept the rain at bay. A large hand reached over and pulled Cheng Qian into his embrace. Cheng Qian’s body went rigid, her expression unnatural.

"Move closer, don't let the child get wet." Li Zhinan could feel every cell in her body resisting him. His eyes darkened.

The rain grew heavier, and Cheng Qian had no choice but to move closer into his arms. The little boy found it quite fun; he freed one hand, grabbed the umbrella handle, and laughed happily.

In the confined space, the family of three felt a sudden closeness. Li Zhinan was very close to Cheng Qian, and he could smell the faint, fresh fragrance on her. Cheng Qian was also close to him, but she caught a faint, lingering scent of rose perfume. Her eyes turned cold. She didn't know if it was on him or the child, but this annoying perfume seemed to be Cheng Yan's signature.

Li Zhinan wanted to pull Cheng Qian closer, but just then, she stopped walking. In the next second, she turned, shoved their son into the man's arms, and ran straight toward the villa gate through the wind and rain.

Li Zhinan: "..."

"Mommy ran away!" Xiaoye shouted loudly. "Mommy ran far away, she's going to get soaked!"

A flash of annoyance crossed Li Zhinan’s deep, dark eyes. "Forget about her. If she likes to get wet, that's her business." He had kindly brought an umbrella to pick them up, so what game was she playing? Playing hard to get?

Cheng Qian was soaked to the bone and went straight to the bathroom to wash up. When she emerged with her long hair still half-damp, a small figure pounced on her.

"Mommy, don't get wet in the rain," Xiaoye said, hugging her leg with a worried look on his small face.

"What a sweet little boy. Mommy has already showered, I won't..." Cheng Qian crouched down gently. Her son's face was a perfect copy of Li Zhinan’s features; at such a young age, he was impossibly handsome.

"Daddy said you like to get wet in the rain. Is that true?" The little boy was full of questions.

Cheng Qian, still fuming from the smell of that perfume on him, thought it was probably a lie.

"Xiaoye, go find Daddy to play. Mommy has things to do," Cheng Qian said softly.

"Okay!" Xiaoye wiggled his short legs and went off to find Li Zhinan.

Cheng Qian took out her hairdryer, dried her hair, and then went into her study. She sat at her computer desk, flipping through the books Ji Nan had given her.

The study on the left was also lit. Li Zhinan stared at the documents on his computer screen, only to find he couldn't absorb a single word. His marriage with Cheng Qian was in trouble.