Li Susu shook her head instinctively. She found it impossible to associate the word "animal" with Bo Junyi.
In truth, she had long since guessed how Tang Yixin would react to the news of her pregnancy. She had even toyed with the idea of lying and telling her that Bo Junyi was her boyfriend, but after much deliberation, she ultimately dismissed the thought.
She knew very well that Bo Junyi was only being good to her for the sake of the baby. She needed to keep a low profile, and the last thing she should do was make any further demands—let alone ask him to pretend to be her boyfriend just to soothe her emotions.
Seeing her friend silent and looking troubled, Tang Yixin wrapped an arm around her shoulders in sympathy and lowered her voice. "Susu, don't worry about so much. We’re best friends, aren't we? Your problems are my problems, hmm?"
Listening to her friend’s soft, comforting words, Li Susu’s eyes grew hot, and tears welled up before she could stop them. She wiped them away gently and let out a sigh.
Tang Yixin grew anxious. "Susu, is it that guy from the sports department who’s been hounding you, or is it Zhou Huaixu—"
Li Susu shook her head, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration. "Stop guessing. It’s not someone from our school."
Her answer only made Tang Yixin more worried. "Susu, you—don't scare me. No matter what, we absolutely cannot get involved in destroying someone else’s family."
Li Susu pursed her lips and offered a reassuring smile. "He’s not married."
"How old is he?"
Tang Yixin swallowed hard, her nerves frayed. She was terrified that her best friend might be getting scammed by some old codger.
"Twenty-eight."
Li Susu felt a little guilty. At the hospital, she had heard Old Madam Bo chiding her son for being thirty and never having had a proper relationship. To be safe, she had underestimated Bo Junyi’s age.
In truth, she didn't care about his age at all, but she didn't want her friend to worry, so she gave a conservative number.
Upon hearing this, the stone that had been weighing on Tang Yixin’s heart finally fell. Although she didn't dwell on it too much, she still felt an eight-year age gap was a bit significant.
"What does he do for a living?"
Tang Yixin pulled her onto the bed, beginning to interrogate her out of concern.
Li Susu answered honestly, "He seems to run his own company. He looks quite wealthy."
"How did you two meet? Are you sure he’s not married?"
Li Susu instinctively lowered her eyes. She and Tang Yixin had been friends for nearly two years. She had mentioned her family situation before—how her mother favored sons over daughters, her father’s gambling addiction, and her brother being thirty and still unmarried—but her own origins were the one thing she kept buried deep in her heart.
Every time she thought about how her parents had abandoned her at a township hospital before she was even a month old, she felt a raw sensation in her nerves. It wasn't the sharp sting of a blade, but rather the dull, aching grind of rusted machinery working inside her organs.
She gathered her courage and spoke with difficulty. "Xinxin, you might not believe this, but my father personally sent me to a stranger's bed to pay off his gambling debts. The man was drunk. At first, he told me to leave, but I didn't. Because my father and those creditors were waiting right outside the hotel. Even if it hadn't been Mr. Bo, he would have sold me to someone else anyway. Xinxin, do you think... do you think I'm a cheap person?"
Tang Yixin’s pupils trembled as she listened, her fists clenching so tightly her fingertips went numb.
"Susu, this is not your fault. You are the victim here." Her voice was thick with suppressed tears as she hugged Li Susu tightly. "I honestly cannot imagine that there are fathers in this world as selfish and cruel as yours. Susu, never return to that home again. No matter how they are doing, it has nothing to do with you. Listen to me—from now on, you’ll spend every holiday at my house."
Li Susu smiled and whispered, "Mm." She added, "Xinxin, thank you. I’ve been suffocating all these days, and just saying it out loud makes me feel so much lighter. No matter what hardships I face in the future, just knowing I have a friend as good as you by my side gives me the confidence to face them."
Tang Yixin wiped away her tears. "You should have told me sooner. By the way, how does this Mr. Bo treat you? Is he willing to take responsibility?"
At the mention of Bo Junyi, Li Susu’s eyes involuntarily brightened. "Mr. Bo treats me quite well, and he is willing to support the baby."
"I mean, does he have any plans to marry you?" Tang Yixin felt terrible thinking that her friend might have to be separated from her baby later on.
Li Susu shook her head honestly. She remembered clearly that in the hospital, Mr. Bo had firmly rejected Old Madam Bo’s suggestion that they get married. He had even threatened to move abroad to avoid it. That was proof enough that he didn't love her; he was only being kind for the sake of the baby.
Seeing Tang Yixin’s gloomy expression, she quickly smiled and added, "Let matters of the heart take their course. We only met once by chance. It’s already good enough that he agreed to let me have the baby."
Tang Yixin felt helpless. "The baby is innocent. Besides, your physical condition wouldn't allow for an abortion anyway. Keep it. If that Mr. Bo turns out to be unreliable, at the very worst, I’ll help you raise it. If nothing else, there’s always my parents."
"There are two."
"What?" Tang Yixin’s eyes widened. "Twins? Wow!"
Li Susu: "..."
"By the way, how does this Mr. Bo look?" Tang Yixin asked after a pause. She was a fan of good looks and was worried about the twins' aesthetics.
Li Susu’s lips curved upward. "I think he’s all right."
"Do you have a photo? Let me see."
As Tang Yixin reached for her bag to get her phone, Li Susu, not wanting her to see her shattered and unsightly phone screen, reached out to cover the zipper. She pleaded, "I really don't have a photo of him. If you want to see, I'll try to sneak a few pictures and send them to you when I have the chance."
"Fine."
Tang Yixin didn't push it, but in her heart, she had already decided that this Mr. Bo must be very average-looking. Perhaps his character wasn't much better, either. Thinking this, she grew worried about her friend’s safety.
"No, I still have to meet him. Otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep tonight."
"Okay, I’ll take you to see him later."
Li Susu understood her feelings and agreed without hesitation. Tang Yixin was her best friend; she trusted that for the baby’s sake, Mr. Bo would show her friend the courtesy and respect she deserved.
Hearing this, Tang Yixin excitedly hugged Li Susu, but then pulled away like a spring as she remembered the baby. "I have to be careful from now on. I can’t hurt you or the baby."
Li Susu felt both amused and touched. "It’s not that dramatic."
Tang Yixin disagreed. "The baby isn't stable during the first trimester; you have to be careful about everything. Also, you must never pick a fight with Wu Nianke like you did just now. If you’re wronged, tell me directly. I’ll be the one to teach her a lesson!"
"Got it."
"That’s more like it. Let’s go. I can’t wait to see this Mr. Bo."
As Tang Yixin spoke, she clasped her hands together in front of her chest, her knuckles popping with a crisp sound.
Li Susu’s heart skipped a beat. "Xinxin, you have to promise me that you won’t start a fight when we meet him."
Tang Yixin smirked. "Don't worry, Susu. I usually don't resort to violence—unless, of course, I absolutely, positively can't help it..."