Chapter 386: I feel extremely nauseous

Early the next morning, Miao Yijia came out of her room, wanting to go for a walk, but she didn't expect Miao Cuixia to already be up, cooking porridge in the kitchen. Hearing footsteps, she came over holding a long-handled spoon, surprised: "Jiajia, why are you up so early?"

She spoke suddenly, and Miao Yijia, unprepared, jumped, her face paling a bit.

Miao Cuixia saw from her expression that she had frightened her, and apologetically patted her back: "Sorry. Sit down, the porridge will be ready soon. Didn't you sleep well last night? You look not very energetic."

Miao Yijia said awkwardly: "I want to go out."

"Don't you want to eat porridge?" Miao Cuixia said. "Tell me what you'd like to eat, I'll make it for you. Be good, listen—we won't eat outside; those street breakfasts aren't clean, who knows how long the oil in the pot has been used. You're not like before—you're pregnant, so you need extra nutrition. After breakfast I'll go to the market to buy some black-boned chicken and spare ribs, come back and stew soup to nourish you, sure to give you a big, fat baby. Figure the timing—your parents should be in Nancheng at noon, perfect for us to have a meal together and settle things between you and Songbai."

Miao Yijia felt countless mosquitoes buzzing by her ears, unbearable, she whispered in rebuttal: "I don't want to eat outside; I just feel the house is stuffy, my chest uncomfortable, I need some fresh air."

"You can get fresh air on the balcony." Miao Cuixia pulled her to the balcony; the morning wasn't hot yet, the air cool and fresh, with a hint of autumn. "It's not safe for you to go out alone."

Miao Yijia felt vexed, as if she were playing music to a cow.

She had only just become pregnant, and Miao Cuixia guarded her like a prison guard, practically suffocating.

Miao Yijia pretended to agree, then waited for Miao Cuixia to return to the kitchen; seeing the living room empty, she seized the moment, slipped out, and stood in the hallway taking a deep breath.

Before, as relatives visiting, Miao Cuixia was always polite, and Miao Yijia hadn't noticed her tendency to boss people around—after all, they'd never lived together—now she realized Miao Cuixia's control was extreme, insisting on deciding everything big and small; if this continued, she'd be driven mad.

Miao Yijia left the residential complex, hailed a taxi; the driver asked where she was going, she hadn't decided yet, and her phone rang.

She took it out of her pocket—it was a call from Miao Cuixia.

Miao Yijia rolled her eyes and hung up without hesitation.

The next second, the ringtone sounded again.

Miao Yijia frowned tightly, but still hung up. She didn't want to hear Miao Cuixia's nagging, like a chant—just listening made her irritated.

Perhaps because pregnancy hormones were affecting her, her emotions were easily upset.

The driver waited a while for her to speak, then asked again: "Miss, where to?"

Miao Yijia really didn't know where she wanted to go; after thinking, she gave the address of Chen Songbai Company.

The driver noted the empty taxi plate.

Miao Cuixia's call kept coming, driving Miao Yijia crazy; she tilted her head, forehead against the car window glass, and answered. From the other end came Miao Cuixia's hoarse voice: "Jiajia, why aren't you home? I came out of the kitchen and you were gone—where did you go? You're going to make me die of worry!"

"I'm fine, just out for a walk," Miao Yijia said, suppressing her temper calmly.

"You child, why won't you listen?" Miao Cuixia wasn't happy that she ignored her words, tone tinged with complaint: "You're in early pregnancy; the first three months are crucial, can't be careless. Jiajia, I'm not saying this to blame you, but you're being willful. Think about it—even if you don't care for yourself, you must for the child. Listen, come back quickly. If you really feel stuffy, after breakfast I'll accompany you out; how about we go to the market together?"

After she finished, Miao Yijia gave a perfunctory reply, hung up, but had no intention of doing what Miao Cuixia said.

That house was like a cage; at least a cage lets air in, but there it was so stuffy there wasn't a breath of fresh air—it could suffocate someone to death.

Arriving at Chen Songbai's workplace, Miao Yijia realized too late that it was too early—just a few minutes before seven—most office workers hadn't arrived yet, including Chen Songbai.

Miao Yijia bought some snacks at a nearby 24-hour convenience store, sat down, and called Chen Songbai.

She had only just started work, usually spent money lavishly, had saved nothing; her rent was covered by Chen Songbai fronting the money, and hospital surgery would cost money.

The ringtone went on for a long time, but Chen Songbai didn't answer her call.

By around eight, Chen Songbai appeared; he and his coworkers were crammed in the company staff dormitory, coming together, holding a sandwich, eating as they walked.

"Brother."

Miao Yijia called him once; Chen Songbai's face stiffened, and he didn't turn around.

"Chen Songbai!" Miao Yijia raised her volume, switching to his name.

Chen Songbai still ignored her; he had seen her earlier call but simply didn't want to answer.

A coworker beside him glanced over, saw a girl with eager, helpless eyes and a poor complexion, and nudged Chen Songbai's arm: "Chen Songbai, someone's calling you—didn't you hear?"

Unable to keep pretending deaf and mute, Chen Songbai finished the last bite of his sandwich, crumpled the wrapper into a hard ball, stopped walking, and told his coworker to go on ahead.

Miao Yijia hurried a few steps to block his path, but before she could state her purpose, his icy gaze frightened her, and he said in a calm voice: "Didn't your parents tell you? I will never marry you in this lifetime—give up that hope. I also won't divorce Xuanxuan unless she sues me and the court orders us apart. But even if I divorced, I could never marry you. I've made my position clear—don't come looking for me. I don't want to see you, and I especially don't want to hear your voice; I find you utterly disgusting."

Miao Yijia nearly lost her balance, swaying slightly; she couldn't believe those words came from Chen Songbai's mouth—did he really despise her that much?

She clung desperately: "I'm pregnant, you know that."

Chen Songbai's pupils contracted slightly, then he gave an indifferent smile. As if nothing mattered—even if at this moment he were told to die, his face remained unchanged: "Do whatever. If you want to keep the baby, keep it; if you want to abort, abort—it's none of my business."

"You… you…" Miao Yijia cried, her voice hoarse: "How can you treat me like this?"

Chen Songbai: "How I treat you—isn't it all because you forced me? I took you as a sister, saw you had no support in this city, and wholeheartedly tried to help you. But how have you treated me? You've schemed against me, clinging like a leech I can't shake off, watching my misery and helplessness—do you feel even a bit of satisfaction in your heart?"

Miao Yijia kept shaking her head.

She certainly didn't think that way.

He has a respectable job and a gentle demeanor—what's wrong with wanting to be with him? Xia Xuan, that good-for-nothing invalid, is utterly unworthy of him; he deserves better.

Chen Songbai found even another glance at her dirty, turned, and entered the office building.

Miao Yijia chased after him, but her pace couldn't match his; in an instant the distance grew, and she was blocked outside the turnstile, unable to get in.

Her stomach churned, nausea overwhelming; Miao Yijia clutched her chest and rushed out, squatting by the roadside to vomit—everything she'd just eaten came up, mixed with the patter of tears falling.

Her phone rang; she pulled it out, tears splashing onto the screen, blurring her vision and the display; she wiped it clean with her hand and saw the caller ID.

It was still Miao Cuixia.

She wanted to reject it, but her finger slipped and answered the call.

She didn't need to put the phone to her ear or turn on speaker; Miao Cuixia's voice came through loud and clear: "Jiajia, why haven't you come back yet? It's been over an hour—where have you gone? Are you trying to make me worry to death? If something happened to you and hurt the baby in your belly, what would we do? Besides, it would be hard to explain to your parents."

Baby, baby, baby—those words had worn a callus into Miao Yijia's ears.

She said nothing and hung up.

Miao Yijia leaned against the wall and slowly stood up; she hadn't rested well in a long time, and after vomiting just now she felt utterly awful. She opened a pack of tissues and tidied herself up bit by bit.

Throughout the process, she gradually grew calm, but the venom in her eyes only deepened.