Chapter 2: Why Didn't You Resist?

However, the moment he opened the call log, Chen Ci froze.

The memory of the dead surged back fiercely, and the call log clearly displayed a familiar name.

What a joke—although she and he knew each other, she wasn't even in Chen Ci's fish pond.

In Chen Ci's impression, she was just a small square‑faced girl with a somewhat distinctive voice, not really to his taste, so he never made a move.

Once, he even regretted it, lamenting that his standards had been too high back then, causing him to miss out on this promising stock.

As for the pregnancy rumor, that's pure nonsense.

So why would she make such a joke?

Forget it, no point dwelling—Chen Ci called her back; asking her directly would be quicker.

He dialed, and the phone rang repeatedly.

Just a second before Chen Ci was about to give up, the other end finally responded.

"Hello..."

Her voice was weak, as if she were still sniffling.

"Yang Lao Ban, you don't joke like that," Chen Ci blurted out.

That title, Yang Lao Ban, would only come a few years later, after she became famous and founded a company called Excellence.

Back then, Chen Ci still had contact with her, and that's what he called her.

But speaking of it, that was a long time ago.

After all, one was a rising top‑tier female star, the other a decadent rich kid just waiting to die— their worlds hardly ever intersected.

"You… what did you call me?"

Yang Lao Ban's reaction on the other end was a bit odd, and Chen Ci's tone softened a couple of notches: "Nothing, what's going on exactly?"

"Don't you remember the weekend before last, when we went to a KTV room to sing…"

"And then?"

"Then you drove me home, and in the car…"

"..."

Hearing that, Chen Ci felt as if struck by a bolt from the blue, frozen in place, unable to speak for a long while.

The weekend two weeks ago was precisely the day he restarted his life.

He vaguely recalled that the first time he opened his eyes, it seemed to be in the car, and there was indeed a woman inside.

But Chen Ci had been drinking heavily, and in his dazed state he even thought some intense service he'd ordered had arrived, or that it was merely a spring dream…

So, he and Yang Lao Ban had no regrets… wait, now is the time to ponder these things!

After a lengthy silence, Chen Ci finally said, "You, why didn't you resist?"

Chen Ci recalled it all—on that weekend they went to sing K, his target had been Yang Lao Ban's roommate, Yuan Shanshan.

Compared to the round face, he still preferred the melon‑seed shape when he was younger.

"I…"

"Never mind, I know."

At this point, Chen Ci had fully regained his composure.

Some things, when said too plainly, lose their beauty.

Chen Ci knew better than anyone what it was that let him navigate the romantic arena.

He might as well chalk it up to her liking him.

"Where are you now?"

"I'm at school; do you want to come over?"

"Wait for me at the gate."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Chen Ci hung up.

To be honest, he still felt a bit dazed.

When he would soon see Yang Lao Ban, he had no idea what to say or do—his mind was a blank.

But since it had happened, some resolution was needed.

Moreover, the other party was Yang Lao Ban; Chen Ci felt not the slightest retreat, but rather a strange little excitement…

…

About an hour and a half later, at the not‑so‑wide gate of Beiying, Chen Ci indeed saw a girl wearing a hat and mask, bundled up tightly, looking around.

It was already summer, yet her outfit stood out conspicuously among the crowd.

Seeing this, Chen Ci got out of the car and slowly approached her.

The youthful version of Yang Lao Ban obviously noticed him too, came over cautiously, and they completed a simple mutual rendezvous.

Finally seeing Yang Lao Ban after a long separation, Chen Ci paused briefly, then quickly got into the mood.

"Sorry, I'm late."

As a man who aspires to surpass He Shuhuan and Lü Xiaobu, the first article of the Chen Family Annals states that, no matter the situation, staying calm is a necessary foundation for solving problems.

"It's fine…"

Looking at Yang Lao Ban, who kept her head slightly lowered and avoided his gaze, Chen Ci said calmly, "Really, it's fine? If it's fine, I can leave."

"You…"

Yang Lao Ban panicked, quickly lifted her head, her eyes flashing with resentment.

Chen Ci also saw that her eye sockets were slightly reddened, and faint bloodshot lines could be seen around her eyes.

After just a glance, the young Yang Lao Ban realized she had been played.

However, her attention was soon diverted elsewhere; she fixed her gaze on a white paper flower pinned to Chen Ci's shirt and asked curiously, "What is this?"

Oh.

Chen Ci took off the white flower on his chest and put it away: "I just came from a memorial service."

Whose memorial service?

Yang Lao Ban speaks quickly, and Chen Ci doesn't hide it either: "My dad and my mom's."

Yang Lao Ban hurriedly apologized in surprise: "Ah? Sorry..."

Let's stop apologizing to each other and get to the point. You're pregnant, right?

Ah?

Upon hearing that, Yang Lao Ban suddenly turned pale, grabbed Chen Ci's arm and dragged him to a corner.

Fortunately, no outsiders nearby heard it; Chen Ci had ascertained before asking, but Yang Lao Ban was obviously frightened.

Until they got in the car, Yang Lao Ban deliberately avoided the passenger seat next to Chen Ci, still seeming shaken; it hurt, so much pain...

Can we talk now?

Her little tricks, Chen Ci observed them all through the rearview mirror, didn't point them out, just found them interesting.

I, I don't know either...

You don't know?

Chen Ci frowned upon hearing this; such vague matters simply won't do.

Yang Lao Ban buried his head deeper, stammering: "It's been almost a week; that... hasn't come yet, I don't know what to do."

Easy, go to the hospital, check human chorionic gonadotropin, oh, abbreviated as HCG index, then you'll know if there are early pregnancy signs. Modern medicine is advanced; even just one week can be detected.

Chen Ci said all that in one breath, while Yang Lao Ban was dazed.

Why do you know this so well?

Chen Ci had already driven off; in fact he was also a bit at a loss, if it really were a pregnancy, he had no idea what to do next.

It was just his habitual calm that forced him to stay composed; take it one step at a time.

Of course, if Yang Lao Ban were willing to bear his child, Chen Ci would certainly not refuse.

Over the years I've tried everything, but having a big star as the mother of my child? That really hasn't happened...

Regarding Chen Ci's decision to go to the hospital, Yang Lao Ban had no intention of refusing; he had expected this would happen.

But he originally had a lot to say to Chen Ci; seeing the person himself, he hesitated, not knowing where to start.

After a long silence, he finally organized his thoughts, was about to speak, when the car suddenly rang with a string of phone rings.

Yang Lao Ban felt so stifled; the words he had almost swallowed again.